Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) and Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh (COAB) on Monday threatened to suspend internet services for "three hours" every day from October 18 protesting unplanned and unilateral removal of overhead cables on utility poles in Dhaka South City Corporation areas.
Placing a five-point demand, ISPAB and COAB leaders said they will stop providing all kinds of internet services including commercial and home if their demands are not met immediately.
"We have lost Tk200 million due to unplanned removal of overhead cables. We will stop providing services from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm everyday from October 18 if unilateral cable removal is not stopped," ISPAB president MA Hakim said at a press conference held at National Press Club on Monday.
COAB president SM Anwar Parvez was, among others, also present.
Their demands include no overhead cable removal before permanent solution to last mile cable issue and conducting inspection by a committee involving the city corporation, Nationwide Telecommuni-cation Transmission Network (NTTN), ISPAB, COAB and Bangladesh Telecommuni-cation Regulatory Commission whether last mile cables were set up by NTTN.
The two organisations also demanded fixing prices for internet and cable TV services by ministries concerned, fixing price for the service of NTTN by the authority concerned and conducting regular inspections to ensure whether NTTN service providers provide service as per requirements.
The ISPAB and COAB leaders said they demanded rational solution to the problem rather than removal of unilateral overhead cable.
Without ensuring alternative measures, it was not a logical decision by the authorities to remove overhead cables, they added.
The internet providers said at least 1,000 ISPs and services of 33 private televisions will be hampered due to cable removal. They said NTTNs are supposed to set up last-mile distribution plant (LDP) in each 200metres but they set up LDPs after every one to two kilometres.
"So, we have to hang cables to provide services to end users," Anwar Parvez said." DSCC can't remove overhead cable without resolving problems," he added.
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