Pvt telecom operators fined Tk 6.15b for illegal VoIP
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
FE Report
The country's private telecom operators have been fined Tk 6.15 billion for illegally terminating international calls to Bangladesh, which caused huge financial losses to the state-owned telecom operator, officials said Monday.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) slapped the fine after intelligence officials found private operators' involvement in voice over internet protocol (VOIP), a technology used for terminating international calls here.
International call termination to Bangladesh is a licensed service and is currently reserved for the state-owned Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) only.
The commission Monday fined CityCell, the country's fourth largest mobile phone operator owned by Singaporean telecom giant SingTel, Tk 1.50 billion for its involvement in illegal VoIP operation.
"CityCell has already made partial payment of the aforesaid amount and the balance will be deposited to the exchequer shortly," the BTRC said.
"The latest amount took the total fine to Tk 6.15 billion. It may rise further as we have already found that some operators have continued to do illegal VoIP operation," spokesman of the BTRC Abbas Faruq said.
Out of the total, the largest mobile phone operator GrameenPhone was fined Tk 1.64 billion, AKTel Tk 1.45 billion and Banglalink Tk 1.25 billion and the private land phone operator RanksTel Tk 150 million.
The commission chief Major General (retd) Manzurul Alam warned stern action against illegal VoIP operators.
"No one will be spared if found involved in any capacity in the illegal call termination business.We hope no telecommunication operator will facilitate any illegal VOIP ventures," said Alam.
He also called upon the private telecom companies to cooperate the government to prevent such activities in the future.
The country's private telecom operators have been fined Tk 6.15 billion for illegally terminating international calls to Bangladesh, which caused huge financial losses to the state-owned telecom operator, officials said Monday.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) slapped the fine after intelligence officials found private operators' involvement in voice over internet protocol (VOIP), a technology used for terminating international calls here.
International call termination to Bangladesh is a licensed service and is currently reserved for the state-owned Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) only.
The commission Monday fined CityCell, the country's fourth largest mobile phone operator owned by Singaporean telecom giant SingTel, Tk 1.50 billion for its involvement in illegal VoIP operation.
"CityCell has already made partial payment of the aforesaid amount and the balance will be deposited to the exchequer shortly," the BTRC said.
"The latest amount took the total fine to Tk 6.15 billion. It may rise further as we have already found that some operators have continued to do illegal VoIP operation," spokesman of the BTRC Abbas Faruq said.
Out of the total, the largest mobile phone operator GrameenPhone was fined Tk 1.64 billion, AKTel Tk 1.45 billion and Banglalink Tk 1.25 billion and the private land phone operator RanksTel Tk 150 million.
The commission chief Major General (retd) Manzurul Alam warned stern action against illegal VoIP operators.
"No one will be spared if found involved in any capacity in the illegal call termination business.We hope no telecommunication operator will facilitate any illegal VOIP ventures," said Alam.
He also called upon the private telecom companies to cooperate the government to prevent such activities in the future.