FE REPORT
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has proposed stricter Quality of Service (QoS) standards for mobile-phone operators and internet service providers (ISPs), introducing the provision of fines for non-compliance under the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulation Act 2001.
The move aims to protect user interests as service providers have consistently fallen short of previous benchmarks.
BTRC on Thursday opened the draft regulation titled "The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (Quality of Service) Regulations, 2024" for stakeholder and public opinions, asking to submit those by February 15.
The new QoS framework for the first time extends to transmission networks and broadband providers.
Key changes in the draft include a reduction in the allowable call drop rate from 2 per cent to 1 per cent and an increase in the call setup success rate from 97 per cent to 98 per cent.
The call setup time for voice calls has been tightened from eight seconds to seven seconds, while for Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE) and beyond, the new benchmark limits the time to three seconds.
The VoLTE technology, which facilitates high-quality voice calls over 4G LTE networks, promises faster connection times and better audio clarity.
For mobile internet, the required upload speed has been doubled to 4Mbps, though the download speed standard remains unchanged.
A new cap of 50 milliseconds on mobile data latency has also been introduced, promising improved real-time communication quality. For broadband connections, ISPs must now ensure 75 per cent of the subscribed download speed and 50 per cent of the upload speed.
The updated regulations aim not only to enhance subscriber satisfaction but also promote competition, drive innovation, and build trust within the telecom sector.
To enforce compliance, BTRC will assess service quality through inspections, drive tests, and sample measurements. Operators may also be required to conduct specialised QoS assessments and submit reports.
Non-compliance, submission of inaccurate information, or failure to meet benchmarks will be treated as regulatory breaches, subject to fines and administrative penalties.
Recent drive tests conducted by BTRC between February 14 and June 5 last year in Dhaka city corporations, Narayanganj, Keraniganj, and Savar revealed significant shortcomings in service quality.
Despite having the best performance among mobile operators, Robi failed in five of 40 key performance indicators (KPIs) across the surveyed areas. Grameenphone failed in six KPIs, Banglalink in 14, and Teletalk in 26.
For internet services, the state-owned operator Teletalk failed to meet QoS benchmarks, while Robi performed the best. Mobile operators, however, have disputed the findings, claiming the results do not reflect actual network performance and may mislead the public.
By tightening standards and introducing enforceable penalties, BTRC seeks to address persistent complaints about substandard telecom and internet services, ensuring accountability and improved user experiences.
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