core sector communique

Strengthening the telecommunication sector

 

 

The telecommunications sector of Bangladesh has experienced phenomenal growth in the past six years. The number of telephones per 100 persons has grown to around 35% from under 2% in 2003. Policies affecting all the segments of the sector have promoted competition and efficiency over the last two years, leading to falling end user tariffs, especially for mobile phones, international long distance calls and internet access.

The Telecommunications Technical Assistance Project (TTAP) with a financing commitment of US$10.5 from the World Bank is supporting the Government to improve the performance of the telecommunications sector by strengthening the institutional, policy and regulatory frameworks in the sector.

TTAP has supported initiatives to achieve competitiveness and reforms in the sector. A major milestone is the July 2008 restructuring of the Bangladesh Telephone and Telegraph Board (BTTB) into public limited company, the Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL). It is imperative to strengthened BTCL management, to enable it to compete with other private operators. Therefore, next steps for BTCL include implementing a comprehensive strategic transformation across its functional areas.

A revised telecommunication policy is expected to be announced within 2009. The implementation of the revised policy will help the establishment of telecommunications infrastructure services to support the achievement of the Government’s goal of a Digital Bangladesh. The 1998 National Telecommunications Policy is already being reviewed and revised, in view of the various technological and market developments that have taken place in the sector.

The TTAP is supporting the implementation of the National Spectrum Management and Monitoring System. The Automated Spectrum Management System; monitoring stations in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Sylhet, Bogra and Rangpur; and four mobile monitoring vehicles are fully operational. This will enable the sector regulator, Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to better monitor the radio spectrum, and resolve spectrum interference issues.

BTRC is also addressing important issues such as quality of service, unified licensing and spectrum management policy and pricing through TTAP. In order to further improve sector performance, it is important to amend the Telecommunications Act to provide BTRC adequate autonomy to promote and regulate a fast changing sector; establish a stable and investment friendly regulatory environment and ensure greater transparency and accountability in the sector.