Economic Reporter :
Customers of defaulted mobile phone operator Citycell who have already been asked to avail alternative option by August 16 are going to get more time until any decision taken by the government.
Posts and Telecommunications division (PTD) opined the subscribers should be allowed “a specific timeframe” only after reaching a concrete and final decision regarding the operator.
Talking to The New Nation, state minister for posts and telecommunications Tarana Halim on Sunday said at first institutional decision has to be taken, then the subscribers should be asked for switchover to elsewhere.
“We are yet to receive any file from the telecom regulator regarding the shutdown of Citycell,” she said, adding: “We will take the final decision after meeting.”
Ministry officials said the state minister would sit with the telecom regulator -Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on August 17 where Citycell officials would also present to decide the fate of the operator. Earlier, on July 31, BTRC served the notice to the operator to explain why it should not face legal action for not paying the outstanding dues of Taka 477.51 crore since long.
At the same time, the regulator also asked the subscribers of Citycell to manage alternative connection by August 16, as BTRC has decided to cancel the license and spectrum allocation of the operator.
On August 3, BTRC Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood told media that as regulator they would send recommendations and observations to the government. “They (government) would finally decide it’s (Citycell) ultimate fate whether it would be shutdown or allowed to continue operation,” he added.
Customers of defaulted mobile phone operator Citycell who have already been asked to avail alternative option by August 16 are going to get more time until any decision taken by the government.
Posts and Telecommunications division (PTD) opined the subscribers should be allowed “a specific timeframe” only after reaching a concrete and final decision regarding the operator.
Talking to The New Nation, state minister for posts and telecommunications Tarana Halim on Sunday said at first institutional decision has to be taken, then the subscribers should be asked for switchover to elsewhere.
“We are yet to receive any file from the telecom regulator regarding the shutdown of Citycell,” she said, adding: “We will take the final decision after meeting.”
Ministry officials said the state minister would sit with the telecom regulator -Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on August 17 where Citycell officials would also present to decide the fate of the operator. Earlier, on July 31, BTRC served the notice to the operator to explain why it should not face legal action for not paying the outstanding dues of Taka 477.51 crore since long.
At the same time, the regulator also asked the subscribers of Citycell to manage alternative connection by August 16, as BTRC has decided to cancel the license and spectrum allocation of the operator.
On August 3, BTRC Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood told media that as regulator they would send recommendations and observations to the government. “They (government) would finally decide it’s (Citycell) ultimate fate whether it would be shutdown or allowed to continue operation,” he added.
