BTRC starts taking harsh steps against defaulting IGW cos

The country's telecom regulator has started taking stringent measures to realise its dues, coming to around Tk 9.0 billion, from the international gateway (IGW) operators, which work for termination of international VoIP calls in the country.
The operators, mainly some new licencees, have become defaulters for not sharing their earnings from their business. According to the rules, the operators have to pay 51.75 per cent of their earning from each VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) call to the authorities.   
Already operations of some 11 IGW operators, out of 29, were suspended or cancelled by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) for their nonpayment. The companies Sigma, Ratul, Telex, Vision, Mos5 Tel Limited, Cel Telecom Limited, Kay Telecommunication Ltd, Apple, First Communications, SM Communication and Bestec are in this list. Some of the companies have fled the scene by shutting their business.
Besides, BTRC has already completed all procedures for filing cases under Public Recovery Act against two IGWs --Vision Tel and Telex-- for nonpayment of their dues and alleged irregularities.
That is why the regulator was bound to take legal action against the companies under Public Recovery Act, a source said.
Recently, the BTRC sent a legal notice to the Kay Telecommunication Ltd for realising dues of Tk 915 million from the company, but the authorities found that the company had used fake registered address for its business, which is 62 Water Wax Road, Godnail, Narayanganj-1400 and operational address: RCC Tower (16th floor), Mohakhali, Dhaka-1212.
The BTRC had suggested the government to reduce the VoIP call rate to 1.5 cents from US 3.0 cents, but this proposal had not been approved by the finance ministry out of apprehension over revenue loss of Tk 11 billion.  
Seeking anonymity, a BTRC official said the companies were not paying their dues to the commission despite enforcement of different measures. "As a result, we have suspended operation of some companies," he noted and added, "Now we are taking legal action directly under Public Recovery Act."
Sources said the regulator has become active after new telecom minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui took over the ministry at the beginning of the year.