Look for alternatives of fingerprints in SIM upgrades: Telecom Minister

Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mostafa Jabbar has directed the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to find alternative ways to use OTP with fingerprint in SIM upgrades. The minister was addressing a discussion meeting at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Sunday, May 29 on the occasion of World Telecommunication and Information Union Day-2022. He called on the regulator to find a way for those who are unable to upgrade their registered 3G mobile SIM to take 4G services. Mostafa Jabbar said, "I noticed one thing, a strange data has come to me, that is: 15% to 20% of us who use SIMs do not get the ability to upgrade." The reason is that the person in whose name the SIM is registered may be living abroad. He bought a SIM for his wife. Now his fingerprints can no longer be taken. SIM also cannot be upgraded. Addressing the BTRC chairman who was present on the occasion, he said, "I think BTRC can think of one thing in these cases.” Whether a method can be created with OTP or in any way, so that the SIM can be upgraded. Because, if you can't upgrade the SIM, you can't use the technology. You (BTRC) will find a way out of that. Now there is no need to check the demand for 4G. 4G's main crisis at the moment is not being able to upgrade devices and SIMs. These have to be solved first. The Minister further said that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has sown the seeds of Digital Bangladesh. The current progress we see in the telecommunications sector started in 1997. At that time we entered the era of 2G mobile phone holding the hand of mobile operators. At present, the main reason for the introduction of mobile phones and computers in the homes was the benefit of VAT tax exemption on technology products by the government in 1998. He said that initiatives have also been taken to issue submarine cable licenses in the private sector. Saudi Telecom is taking 600 Gbps bandwidth and expressed interest to take 1 terabyte more. Meanwhile, the Indian state of Tripura is getting 10 Gbps bandwidth and the states of Assam and Meghalaya have expressed interest in getting bandwidth from Bangladesh. In the current context, Bangladesh will not face any bandwidth crisis, he said, adding that Bangladesh will be added to the third submarine cable by 2025. The Minister further said that progress has been made in medical services due to technology, adding that people have been receiving telemedicine or digital healthcare at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our primary responsibility is to provide digital connectivity. We will expand 5G services. Quality service cannot be provided only through spectrum, for this fiber optic cable has to be connected. Underground methods have already been adopted for fiber optic cable extension. Calling on the operators to implement quality 4G services, the minister said, "5G will be introduced step by step wherever we need it." Secretary of the Department of Posts and Telecommunications Md. Khalilur Rahman, Additional Secretary of the Department Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam, BTRC Chairman Shyam Sundar Sikder and BTCL Managing Director Rafiqul Matin spoke on the event. It may be noted that, after the launch of the fourth generation mobile service, customers can use various services with ease, but due to the 'ownership complexity' of the SIM, many users are not being able to upgrade the 4G service. So they are not able to take the fourth generation mobile service.