The telecom regulator has said modern technology is being acquired within three weeks to monitor gateways for curbing illegal VoIPs.
“Modern technology is being accquired to prevent illegal VoIPs,” Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose said on Saturday.
Three steps are being taken to check the gateways (IGW, ICX and IIG).
Modern technology would be put in place shortly to monitor mobile phone operators as well, he said.
SIMs will be registered by scrutinising national ID cards, the BTRC chief said, adding that once the system got started , monitoring would be easier.
Technology is being imported to evaluate the exact number of foreign calls, Bose said.
The BTRC chief was the chief guest at a seminar on ‘Illegal Call Termination, Current Situation and Way Out” organised by Telecom Reporters Network Bangladesh at Hotel Sonargaon.
Bose, however, did not provide details about the ‘modern technology’ they are acquiring.
However, operators and specialists think illegal VoIPs (Voice over Internet Protocols) cannot be curbed by use of modern technology.
They identified factors like corrupt politicians, ‘dishonesty’ of employees, ‘lack of’ regulations and surveillance’ and ‘high illegal income’ for illegal VoIPs.
Information Technology specialist Sumon Ahmed Sabir said at the seminar, “It is not possible to stop illegal VoIPs by stringent laws or surveillance or by using latest technology. Because if one system is stopped an alternative system will take its place.”
Ahmed blamed political dishonesty and unscrupulous employees for illegal VoIPs.
Learn Asia’s senior policy fellow Abu Sayeed Khan said millions were earned from mobile calls across the borders.
“Who can guarentee that criminal activities are not taking place with VoIP money?”
Sayeed empahasized on updating of BTRC regulations to curb it.
Mobile operator Robi’s Executive Vice President (Corporate Regulatory and Legal) Mahmudur Rahman also stressed improved regulations of BTRC and latest technology to stop illegal VoIPs.
Mango Teleservices Limited Managing Director Mir Masud Kabir said they found it difficult to run business properly due to illegal VoIPs.
Mobile phone operator Banglalink’s Senior Director (Regulatory and Legal Affairs) Zakiul Islam said operators incur loss of 30 Paisa per call at illegal VoIP.
Operators want only legal calls to go through, he said.
Zakiul said his company had deactivated around 1.1 million SIMs so far.
Grameenphone’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Mahmud Hossain said those who were running illegal VoIPs were very smart. “They were changing SIMS every hour.”
The BTRC Chairman said they were not facing any political pressure.
“What is impossible cannot be made possible. But we will prevent those systems that create problems.”
He said they were considering reduction of international call exchange revenue to 1.5 cents from 3 cents.
Bose said there were less illegal VoIP calls in the last several months but the organisers said at present 15 to 20 million minutes of international calls are being made through illegal VoIPs.
Source: bdnews24
