BSS, Dhaka :
Telecom experts at a discussion yesterday said lack of strong policy and surveillance as well as earning of huge amount of illegal money in short time are responsible for illegal call termination, commonly known as VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol).
In addition, unhappy politics and dishonest employees of government are also contributing
to increasing illegal use of VoIP, they said. The telecom regulator, however, said they are going to introduce modern technology to ruin the illegal call termination. But, the telecom experts said the effort of stopping illegal use of VoIP is not fully possible. Telecom Reporters’ Network, Bangladesh (TRNB) organised the roundtable discussion titled “Illegal Call Termination, Current Situation and Way Out” in city hotel.
Speaking at the discussion as the chief guest, Sunil Kanti Bose, Chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), said they are going to introduce new technology within next three weeks to bring the Gateways (IGW, ICX and IIG) under surveillance.
“In addition, cellular phone operators would also be brought under surveillance through introducing new technology,” he added.
The BTRC chairman informed the operator would get access to the National ID database of Election Commission soon to verify customer’s identity during SIM registration. “Surveillance would also be more easy after introduction of the verification system.”
Bose also informed that the commission is mulling to fix the revenue of international call termination at 1.5 cent from the existing 3 cent.
Expressing his frustration about the low quality service of cellular phone operators, the BTRC chairman said the service of the operators is not up to the mark at present. “Gradually the services of the operators including Grameenphone have deteriorated.”
IT expert and Chief Strategic Officer of Fiber@home Sumon Ahmed Sabir said: “In terms of technological aspect, stopping illegal use of VoIP is not possible fully because alternative system would come once exiting system is barred.”
Dishonesty in politics and corrupt government officials are also responsible for the illegal call termination, he added.
LIRNEasia Senior Policy Fellow Abu Saeed Khan said: “Cores of Taka come whenever mobile call goes beyond one country border, which cannot be stopped fully.”
He suggested BTRC update the law and policy.
Zakiul Islam, Senior Director of Banglalink, said the cellular operators are incurring Taka 0.30 in every illegal call termination. So, the operators want legal call to run business without loss, he added.
Islam informed his company so far blocked 11 lakh SIMs, which are being used for illegal call termination.
Mahmud Hossain, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of
Grameenphone, said his company is blocking suspected SIMs through self monitoring in every three hours.
