243 sites out of 974 sites of the country’s four mobile operators are currently down in Cox’s Bazar district due to cyclone Mocha. Out of the total 219 sites of Grameenphone Limited, the number of inactive sites is 60. Out of the total 461 sites of Robi Axiata Limited, the number of inactive sites is 87. Out of the total 185 sites of Banglalink Digital Communications Limited, the number of inactive sites is 51. Out of the total 109 sites of Teletalk Bangladesh Limited, the number of inactive sites is 45. However, due to the effective efforts made by BTRC, most of the mobile and internet systems are currently operational in Cox’s Bazar district due to Cyclone Mocha.
This information was presented in the meeting held at the conference center of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission on Sunday. Director General of Engineering and Management Department Brigadier General Md. Ehsanul Kabir chaired the meeting. The Director of the same department Md. Golam Razzak, Deputy Director Dr. Shamsujjoha, Md Ashraful Alam, SM Afzal Reza, Deputy Director Mahdi Ahmed, Deputy Director Media Wing Zakir Hossain Khan and others were present. After the meeting, the control centers across the country have been contacted and necessary instructions has been given.
Regulatory body BTRC said mobile operators are making every effort to activate existing inactive sites. Already 271 inactive sites have been reactivated. Most of the inactive sites are currently inactive due to power outages.
It has also been assured that the said sites will be operational soon if the power connection is effective.
Earlier on May 13, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission-BTRC has given instructions to all licensees and telecom operators providing telecommunication services to form Emergency Response Team and set up control room to ensure that all types of telecommunication services continue during disaster and post-disaster times in order to deal with Cyclone Mocha.
Besides, a 10-member Emergency Response Team and Control Room was also set up by BTRC. The said team has coordinated activities to ensure uninterrupted service including round-the-clock monitoring of the telecommunication system of the cyclone-affected areas.
In view of BTRC’s instructions, to ensure uninterrupted telecommunication services in the coastal areas and surrounding areas, telecom operators have set up control rooms in their respective offices and provided enough batteries, diesel generators, portable generators to keep their own network systems running, coordinating with field-level workers in cyclone-affected areas to maintain uninterrupted telecommunication services.
Mobile tower builders, BTCL, Submarine Cable Company, IIG, ISP, NTTN and other telecom operators have taken measures and are constantly striving to keep their networks operational in cyclone-prone areas during calamities.