Banglalink's cut throat call charge!
Sunday, 5 April 2009
BANGLALINK is the second largest mobile operator in Bangladesh. After acquisition of Sheba Telecom, it came to the market in 2005. It made some attractive offers from the very start. So it could take the position of the second largest mobile operator among the subscribers in Bangladesh.
Its offers were coming one after one. Also its subscriber-base has been increasing day by day. But, few days ago, we saw a different position. Where its earlier move to consolidate its position through competition has been to lower call charge, we now see its competition to increase in different ways some of its tariff rate.
First, its SMS charge was Tk 0.75; now it is Tk 1.00. Then, its call charge was Tk 0.25 banglalink (BL) to banglalink (BL) from 12.00am to 9.00am. Initially it had 30 seconds pulse; but later this 30 second pulse was cancelled. Now it is full 60 seconds. For FNF number, banglalink to banglalink charge was Tk 0.25. All these tariff rates have been cancelled and the new tariff for BL to BL from 12 am to 9:00 am and for FNF is Tk 0.45. There is no pulse below 1:00 minute (60 seconds). To call other operators, BL charge is high for the period between 12 am and 9:00 am at Tk 1:00. There is no pulse. And from 5:00pm to 12am (midnight), its charge is Tk 1:45 taka without any pulse.
Banglalink has increased its charges for all services. When other operators can provide Tk 0.66 for 24 hours, why can't Banglalink? Why have they increased FNF and SMS charges?
Moreover, its network service is not good. At many important places, we don't get BL service. Our request to BL is to look into subscribers' demand.
Mahfuzur Rahman Manik
IER, Dhaka University
mahfuz_du@hotmail.com
01912-031968
Its offers were coming one after one. Also its subscriber-base has been increasing day by day. But, few days ago, we saw a different position. Where its earlier move to consolidate its position through competition has been to lower call charge, we now see its competition to increase in different ways some of its tariff rate.
First, its SMS charge was Tk 0.75; now it is Tk 1.00. Then, its call charge was Tk 0.25 banglalink (BL) to banglalink (BL) from 12.00am to 9.00am. Initially it had 30 seconds pulse; but later this 30 second pulse was cancelled. Now it is full 60 seconds. For FNF number, banglalink to banglalink charge was Tk 0.25. All these tariff rates have been cancelled and the new tariff for BL to BL from 12 am to 9:00 am and for FNF is Tk 0.45. There is no pulse below 1:00 minute (60 seconds). To call other operators, BL charge is high for the period between 12 am and 9:00 am at Tk 1:00. There is no pulse. And from 5:00pm to 12am (midnight), its charge is Tk 1:45 taka without any pulse.
Banglalink has increased its charges for all services. When other operators can provide Tk 0.66 for 24 hours, why can't Banglalink? Why have they increased FNF and SMS charges?
Moreover, its network service is not good. At many important places, we don't get BL service. Our request to BL is to look into subscribers' demand.
Mahfuzur Rahman Manik
IER, Dhaka University
mahfuz_du@hotmail.com
01912-031968