Economic Reporter :
State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim today said the government would allow tower business in telecom sector considering customer interest as well as environment issues.
She was addressing a seminar as the chief guest on ‘The Prospect of Tower Business in Bangladesh’, organized by Telecom Reporters Network, Bangladesh (TRNB) in a city hotel.
“Uncontrolled tower of telecom would harm environment. We would first create level playing field to allow new players for tower business, but upgradation of network would also be considered in framing policy,” she said.
The state minister said upcoming policy in tower business would ensure foreign direct investment.
“We would create competitiveness in tower business…monopoly would be discouraged through ensuring level playing field in the sector,” Tarana said.
She said the government would also consider ensuring lower tower sharing cost so the consumers get benefit on it.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood said the BTRC encouraged investment in the telecom sector.
He said the BTRC would provide tower sharing licenses to create open market.
“A total of 36,000 mobile towers have been installed against the requirement of 24,000 towers because of lack of tower sharing facility. But the quality of services is too poor,” he informed.
He said tower would be increased after introduction of 4G.
He expressed dissatisfaction over the installation of five towers on BARDEM building which happened due to lack of tower sharing facility.
The BTRC chairman said they would formulate new company to run tower sharing. Of the company, BTRC would allow 51 percent investment from local sources and the rest from foreign direct investment.
Posts and telecommunications additional sectary Shawkat Mostafa said the government would formulate tower sharing license guidelines with the consent of shareholders.
GP chief corporate affairs officer Mahmud Hossain said the qualified firm should be allowed to have license for tower sharing business. The existing mobile phone operators’ tower would also be considered in the guidelines, he said.
Robi executive vice president Shahed Alam said qualified and experienced tower sharing company should be considered in the business.
Association of Mobile Telecom Operator Association of Bangladesh (AMTOB) secretary general TIM Nurul Kabir, Banglalink director of GR and Regulation Tymur Rahman, Fiber@home managing director Moinul Huq Siddique attended at the seminar.
TRNB president Rashed Mehdi moderated the seminar while it’s general secretary Shamim Ahmed presented the keynote.
State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim today said the government would allow tower business in telecom sector considering customer interest as well as environment issues.
She was addressing a seminar as the chief guest on ‘The Prospect of Tower Business in Bangladesh’, organized by Telecom Reporters Network, Bangladesh (TRNB) in a city hotel.
“Uncontrolled tower of telecom would harm environment. We would first create level playing field to allow new players for tower business, but upgradation of network would also be considered in framing policy,” she said.
The state minister said upcoming policy in tower business would ensure foreign direct investment.
“We would create competitiveness in tower business…monopoly would be discouraged through ensuring level playing field in the sector,” Tarana said.
She said the government would also consider ensuring lower tower sharing cost so the consumers get benefit on it.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood said the BTRC encouraged investment in the telecom sector.
He said the BTRC would provide tower sharing licenses to create open market.
“A total of 36,000 mobile towers have been installed against the requirement of 24,000 towers because of lack of tower sharing facility. But the quality of services is too poor,” he informed.
He said tower would be increased after introduction of 4G.
He expressed dissatisfaction over the installation of five towers on BARDEM building which happened due to lack of tower sharing facility.
The BTRC chairman said they would formulate new company to run tower sharing. Of the company, BTRC would allow 51 percent investment from local sources and the rest from foreign direct investment.
Posts and telecommunications additional sectary Shawkat Mostafa said the government would formulate tower sharing license guidelines with the consent of shareholders.
GP chief corporate affairs officer Mahmud Hossain said the qualified firm should be allowed to have license for tower sharing business. The existing mobile phone operators’ tower would also be considered in the guidelines, he said.
Robi executive vice president Shahed Alam said qualified and experienced tower sharing company should be considered in the business.
Association of Mobile Telecom Operator Association of Bangladesh (AMTOB) secretary general TIM Nurul Kabir, Banglalink director of GR and Regulation Tymur Rahman, Fiber@home managing director Moinul Huq Siddique attended at the seminar.
TRNB president Rashed Mehdi moderated the seminar while it’s general secretary Shamim Ahmed presented the keynote.
