Nat'l broadband policy awaits advisers' nod
Sunday, 2 November 2008
Naim- Ul- Karim
The proposed national broadband policy-2008, aimed at facilitating growth of high-speed Internet services at affordable prices across the country, has been sent to the chief adviser's office for approval of the advisory council, officials said on Friday.
They said chief adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed will sit with all stakeholders to review the draft national broadband policy-2008 sometime this week.
"We are expecting that the policy will be approved by this year as the chief adviser himself is showing interest on the issue considering the interest of the country," chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Major General Manzurul Alam (retired) told the FE on the day.
The officials of the ministry of post and telecommunication said around two months ago the chief adviser directed related agencies to expedite the process in formulating the national broadband policy which will extend internet facilities quickly and cheaply to the people, as the country lags in the journey on the global information superhighway.
"We've sent the policy to the Chief adviser after an inter-ministerial meeting on October 29," a senior official of the ministry said.
He said the final policy draft, which defines broadband as 'an always on data/internet connection' with a minimum bandwidth of 128kbps, has targeted to connect every village with broadband internet by 2015.
At present, about one million people have access to the internet, provided by over 50 service providers, with 90 per cent through dial-up connections of low bandwidth.
The policy has set immediate, mid-term and long-term broadband penetration targets. It stipulates that by 2010, 50 per cent of the present dial-up internet connections should be shifted to broadband link.
It said private sector involvement in broadband services and public-private partnership will be encouraged. Broadband deployment policies will be technology-neutral with respect to user/service providers' choice among multiple broadband technology options.
The policy also suggests fiscal incentives for broadband deployment, which include provision of tax holidays, explicit and targeted subsidies, grants, pilot-project funding, low-interest loans or development funds for the manufacturers of equipment related to broadband services.
The BTRC will issue licences for providing broadband services to any entity meeting the regulatory terms and conditions set by the commission.
The existing licensed internet service providers, however, would not require new licences for broadband connections until the expiry of the existing licence.
Regarding the tariff for broadband services, the policy said liberalised tariff policies in the field of telecommunications would be extended to encourage broadband services at a minimum cost.
It, however, stipulates that all government offices, local government institutions, colleges, schools, public libraries, cultural centres, museums, post offices and archives will be connected to the broadband network by the 2015 as part of the long-term target set by the policy.
By 2010, all colleges situated in upazila headquarters, 50 per cent of high schools in district towns and 35 per cent of high schools in upazila towns should be connected to broadband internet, and 10 per cent of villages and all local government institutions up to upazila level should be brought under the network.
The proposed national broadband policy-2008, aimed at facilitating growth of high-speed Internet services at affordable prices across the country, has been sent to the chief adviser's office for approval of the advisory council, officials said on Friday.
They said chief adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed will sit with all stakeholders to review the draft national broadband policy-2008 sometime this week.
"We are expecting that the policy will be approved by this year as the chief adviser himself is showing interest on the issue considering the interest of the country," chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Major General Manzurul Alam (retired) told the FE on the day.
The officials of the ministry of post and telecommunication said around two months ago the chief adviser directed related agencies to expedite the process in formulating the national broadband policy which will extend internet facilities quickly and cheaply to the people, as the country lags in the journey on the global information superhighway.
"We've sent the policy to the Chief adviser after an inter-ministerial meeting on October 29," a senior official of the ministry said.
He said the final policy draft, which defines broadband as 'an always on data/internet connection' with a minimum bandwidth of 128kbps, has targeted to connect every village with broadband internet by 2015.
At present, about one million people have access to the internet, provided by over 50 service providers, with 90 per cent through dial-up connections of low bandwidth.
The policy has set immediate, mid-term and long-term broadband penetration targets. It stipulates that by 2010, 50 per cent of the present dial-up internet connections should be shifted to broadband link.
It said private sector involvement in broadband services and public-private partnership will be encouraged. Broadband deployment policies will be technology-neutral with respect to user/service providers' choice among multiple broadband technology options.
The policy also suggests fiscal incentives for broadband deployment, which include provision of tax holidays, explicit and targeted subsidies, grants, pilot-project funding, low-interest loans or development funds for the manufacturers of equipment related to broadband services.
The BTRC will issue licences for providing broadband services to any entity meeting the regulatory terms and conditions set by the commission.
The existing licensed internet service providers, however, would not require new licences for broadband connections until the expiry of the existing licence.
Regarding the tariff for broadband services, the policy said liberalised tariff policies in the field of telecommunications would be extended to encourage broadband services at a minimum cost.
It, however, stipulates that all government offices, local government institutions, colleges, schools, public libraries, cultural centres, museums, post offices and archives will be connected to the broadband network by the 2015 as part of the long-term target set by the policy.
By 2010, all colleges situated in upazila headquarters, 50 per cent of high schools in district towns and 35 per cent of high schools in upazila towns should be connected to broadband internet, and 10 per cent of villages and all local government institutions up to upazila level should be brought under the network.