BTRC licences for IP telephony service operators soon as guideline published

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FE Report
The telecom regulatory body will award licences to private operators for providing Internet Protocol (IP) telephony services in the country from next year to help Internet users make domestic and overseas calls at a cheaper cost, officials said Sunday.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Sunday published the draft guideline on 'Internet Protocol Telephony Service Provider (IPTSP),' under which the country's Internet service providers (ISPs) will be awarded the licences.
"We have posted the draft guideline on our website seeking stakeholders' comments," the regulatory commission said.
The BTRC solicits comments, to be dispatched to its email at iptel@btrc.gov.bd, on various aspects of the draft guideline by November 30.
BTRC Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Manzurul Alam in a statement prepared by the commission said on the day the IP Telephony is the latest technology of communication. Providing a number of value-added services will be possible through introduction of this cutting-edge technology.
After issuance of licences to enable operators provide IP telephony services, he said subscribers of ISPs, through Interconnections Exchange (ICX) and International Internet Gateway (IIG), will be able to make calls at home and abroad at a lower rate legally.
According to the draft guideline, "….an IPTSP licence will be issued by the commission only to the ISP licence holders, except PSTN/ PLMN operators having ISP licence."
It also said the IPTSP licensee will provide international and domestic voice calls over IP-based Internet and/or managed IP-based network(s.) An IPTSP licensee will also provide PC to PC, phone to PC, phone to phone or any other usages based on IP telephony voice service to subscribers.
IPTSP will provide Internet services as per conditions of an ISP licence. The terms and conditions of the ISP licences will be also applicable to the IPTSP licence, it said.
Regarding percentage of foreign investment, it said foreign equity is limited to maximum 60 per cent. A foreign partner must invest in foreign currency directly an amount equal to his or her percentage of ownership and no bank loan from any Bangladeshi scheduled bank, financial institution or leasing company can be raised for the foreign part for the investment.
For non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs), it said maximum 70 per cent foreign direct investment is allowed.
Any ISP of the country, found involved with the illegal Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) business at any time, shall not be eligible for any type of IPTSP licence, the guideline mentioned.
It also said there will be two types of licences. These are Nationwide IPTSP licence and Zonal licence.
Unless otherwise cancelled or surrendered by the licencee earlier, a licence will remain valid for 15 years subject to timely payment of necessary fees, charges, and compliance by the licence holder with the terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the commission from time to time.
Licence fee, based on tenure and zone, will range between Tk 0.1 million and Tk 2.0 million.