BTRC’s Licensing Revisions Spark Concerns Among Local ISPs
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is revising its licensing regulations. Under the proposed new policy, the National Connectivity Service License will be divided into six stages, including international connectivity and national connectivity services. National infrastructure services will be placed under an open license, though the provision allows national infrastructure to be listed under other license holders to offer services.
This change has raised concerns among local broadband fixed internet service providers (ISPs) who fear that licensed mobile operators will now enter the fixed connectivity market. Industry insiders worry that this will lead to the displacement of domestic entrepreneurs, who have built their businesses from scratch, offering broadband internet services at the lowest possible price, with the promise of a "one country, one rate" policy nationwide. There is concern that local ISPs will be overtaken by foreign multinational telecom operators offering mobile services.
The proposed licensing regime will categorize mobile operators under "Unified Access Service/Cellular Mobile Services." Following this, fixed telecom services will be allowed in two stages. National-level ISP license holders and local-level license holders at the upazila and thana levels will be permitted to offer broadband services. A similar structure will apply to TV services.
Local internet business owners have voiced strong objections to this new network topology, as it remains unclear how it will affect existing ISPs and their investments. Following a consultation meeting at BTRC on Monday, internet entrepreneurs held an urgent meeting on Tuesday evening. Around 70 internet service providers attended this two-hour meeting at the ISPAB office in Banani, Dhaka, to discuss the proposed licensing policy and urge BTRC to clarify its stance.
ISPAB's current and former executive committee members, including Anwar Ahmed Mithu, Talat Mahmud Tosan, Raisul Islam Tuhin, Nasir Uddin, and Sharafuddin Fuad, raised concerns about the weaknesses and ambiguities in the proposed licensing policy.
In the meeting, it was decided to form a technical committee to submit written objections to BTRC in the near future. Internet providers have also called for unity and announced that they will prepare for protests, including sit-ins at BTRC, if their concerns are not addressed.
Meanwhile, over 3,500 registered entrepreneurs in the fixed broadband internet sector have warned the government that allowing mobile operators to enter the market will be detrimental to the country and could create a monopoly for foreign companies in the internet service industry.
