Govt losing over Tk 12.08b yearly for illegal VoIP trade

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The government is losing over Tk 12.08 billion (Tk 1,208.88 crore) revenue per year due to international call termination through illegal VoIP (voice over internet protocol) system, reports UNB.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is currently working on ways to reduce international call termination through illegal VoIP.
According to the BTRC, every day some 30 million international calls are entering form abroad. Of the calls, Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) terminates some 14 million calls, and the VoIP traders deal the rest 16 million calls.
The number of international outgoing calls are between 16 to 20 per cent (4.8 to 6.0 million) of the incoming calls, and BTTB handles most of these calls.
"Huge amount of money is being lost for illegal VoIP trade… On an average, we're loosing some 3.0 US cent in revenue per call," BTRC Chairman Major General (retd) Manzurul Alam said.
Under the strict supervision of BTRC, Manzurul said drives against the illegal VoIP business has been going on in full swing, and it has reduced this illegal business substantially.
Besides the drive, to minimise the illegal call termination, BTRC is trying to reduce the international call charges close to the rates of the market, the BTRC chairman said.
Quality of the calls exchanged through illegal VoIP is very poor, he said, adding that the unlicensed VoIP trade would naturally become ineffectual, if BTTB's international call charges could be reduced down to 4.0 US cent that is quite close to the call charges in the gray market.
Recently, most of the cellphone operators in the country were found involved in illegal VoIP trade. Telecom companies including Grameenphone, Banglalink, Aktel and Citycell had been charged with fines for their involvement in unlicensed VoIP trade.
The BTRC Chairman said the second submarine cable would be installed as soon as possible to handle growing number of international calls. The BTRC would also shut down the V-sats, which are used as gateways for terminating VoIP calls.