BTRC to go for private submarine cable

The telecom regulator has started work to allow private investment for the installation of another submarine cable, which will act as the backup link for uninterrupted internet access. Taking to BSS, Sunil Kanti Bose, Chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), said that they would complete necessary work by the year to invite tender for another submarine cable under private investment. "We've planned to invite tender for another submarine cable by the year, which would be installed totally with private investment," he said. Mr Bose said that the regulator has taken the initiative to explore new business opportunities for the private sectors. The BTRC chairman, however, said that the tender would be invited after assessing the market potentiality. Earlier in 2011, the regulator had taken the initiative to install a submarine cable under private investment. Later, in March in the same year they invited tender for the submarine cable where a consortium owned by five Bangladeshi companies took part. The regulator decided to invite tender again due to participation of only consortium in the process. Later, they stepped back from the decision of re-tender for that time. Meanwhile, state-owned Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL) has started work to connect the country with second submarine cable "SEA-ME-WE-5" after taking permission from the regulator. BSCCL is expecting to connect with the second submarine cable by the December 2014. Currently, the country is connected to the world through only one cable- 'SEA-ME-WE-4,' a cable consortium of 15 countries from France to Singapore through Italy, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia. That's why telecommunications and internet connectivity are hampered, if the SEA-ME-WE-4 suffers any damage. Besides, in December last the country was connected to International Terrestrial Cable (ITC), as the private ITC operator NOVOCOM started its commercial operation. Other five ITC companies -- 1Asia- AHL-JV, BD Link Communication Ltd., Mango Teleservices Ltd., Summit Communications Ltd. and Fibre@Home Limited-are waiting to start commercial operation. On January 5 last year, the telecom regulator issued ITC license to the six companies to get backup for uninterrupted internet access during disruption of the country's lone submarine cable SEA-ME-WE-4.