ISPs for reducing high tariff on import of basic internet equipment
FE Report | Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) of the country Tuesday called upon the government to reduce the high tariff on the import of basic internet equipments to help mitigate the heavy infrastructure and maintenance cost that is affecting the industry.
At the same time, they have also urged for speeding up the process of IP (Internet Protocol) Telephony licensing, to take appropriate measures regarding the unlicensed ISPs numbering more then 500 and to ensure the complete access of internet service in call centers.
"We want the IP Telephony licenses to be granted to the ISPs by this month (July)," stated M A Salam, President of Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) at a press meet on the day.
"IP Telephony would greatly enhance the quality of various internet related services in the country," he added.
Vice President of ISPAB Azhar H Chowdhury, Former President of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) S M Iqbal and Secretary General of ISPAB Russell T Ahmed, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
Speakers also pointed out to the inconsistent policies regarding the WiMAX licensing that is intended to keep the local entrepreneurs away in favour of the foreign ones.
"In contrary to International Long Distance Telecommunication Services (ILDTS) policy, WiMAX license can be obtained with 60 percent foreign share. The initial license fee which is as high as Tk. 250 million, could be increased by a few times through auctioning," one ISPAB leader informed.
They urged for granting the WiMAX licenses to Bangladeshi ISPs on the basis of their technical capability and local majority partnership.
"Also the expensive International Public Leasedline Circuits (IPLC) connections have been made mandatory for establishing call centers," the ISPAB observed.
"This is hindering the growth of a potential industry which is highly integrated with internet facilities," the ISPAB said.
Regarding the unlicensed ISPs numbering some 500, they suggested that these entities could be gradually given the licenses and thus ensure quality service.
At the same time, speakers also recommended the setting up of a second submarine cable and urged for removal of the rule of using a minimum 45 percent traffic from each International Internet Gateway (IIG) operators.
"The introduction of a second IIG was meant to increase competition but such regulation has brushed out any such prospect," the ISPAB observed.
At the same time, they have also urged for speeding up the process of IP (Internet Protocol) Telephony licensing, to take appropriate measures regarding the unlicensed ISPs numbering more then 500 and to ensure the complete access of internet service in call centers.
"We want the IP Telephony licenses to be granted to the ISPs by this month (July)," stated M A Salam, President of Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) at a press meet on the day.
"IP Telephony would greatly enhance the quality of various internet related services in the country," he added.
Vice President of ISPAB Azhar H Chowdhury, Former President of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) S M Iqbal and Secretary General of ISPAB Russell T Ahmed, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
Speakers also pointed out to the inconsistent policies regarding the WiMAX licensing that is intended to keep the local entrepreneurs away in favour of the foreign ones.
"In contrary to International Long Distance Telecommunication Services (ILDTS) policy, WiMAX license can be obtained with 60 percent foreign share. The initial license fee which is as high as Tk. 250 million, could be increased by a few times through auctioning," one ISPAB leader informed.
They urged for granting the WiMAX licenses to Bangladeshi ISPs on the basis of their technical capability and local majority partnership.
"Also the expensive International Public Leasedline Circuits (IPLC) connections have been made mandatory for establishing call centers," the ISPAB observed.
"This is hindering the growth of a potential industry which is highly integrated with internet facilities," the ISPAB said.
Regarding the unlicensed ISPs numbering some 500, they suggested that these entities could be gradually given the licenses and thus ensure quality service.
At the same time, speakers also recommended the setting up of a second submarine cable and urged for removal of the rule of using a minimum 45 percent traffic from each International Internet Gateway (IIG) operators.
"The introduction of a second IIG was meant to increase competition but such regulation has brushed out any such prospect," the ISPAB observed.