Second submarine cable by Dec likely
Syed Ishtiaque Reza | Sunday, 20 July 2008
The government might issue licence for laying the second submarine cable by December this year aiming to expand Internet network across the country.
Officials of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) said an alternative submarine cable is aimed at taking Internet to the rural areas.
"We have received 13 proposals for establishment of submarine cable under private management," said a BTRC top official.
Another senior BTRC official said steps have been taken for an alternative submarine cable network in the private sector to create a competitive market and take the Internet to rural areas.
The Internet in the country is vulnerable to frequent disruption and more so because of its dependence on a single undersea cable network. Also, bandwidth charges in Bangladesh are higher than in neighbouring countries.
The official said it expected that the second submarine cable line will help reduce the bandwidth charge significantly.
The senior BTRC official said India's Tata Telecom, Reliance Communication, Mahanagar Telecommunication, Egypt's Orascom and Hong Kong's PCCW are among the contenders for installing the alternative submarine cable.
The telecom regulator invited proposals on installation of submarine cable under private management in March and set June 15 as the deadline for submission of proposals. But the time was later extended to June 29.
The BTRC official said a guideline is being prepared to scrutinise the proposals properly. The Commission, he said, will seek opinions from concerned people through its website. The BTRC will hold a public hearing after scrutiny of proposals.
Bangladesh is connected with the "SEA-ME-WE-4" cable system, now used by 16 telecoms firms in 14 countries.
Officials of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) said an alternative submarine cable is aimed at taking Internet to the rural areas.
"We have received 13 proposals for establishment of submarine cable under private management," said a BTRC top official.
Another senior BTRC official said steps have been taken for an alternative submarine cable network in the private sector to create a competitive market and take the Internet to rural areas.
The Internet in the country is vulnerable to frequent disruption and more so because of its dependence on a single undersea cable network. Also, bandwidth charges in Bangladesh are higher than in neighbouring countries.
The official said it expected that the second submarine cable line will help reduce the bandwidth charge significantly.
The senior BTRC official said India's Tata Telecom, Reliance Communication, Mahanagar Telecommunication, Egypt's Orascom and Hong Kong's PCCW are among the contenders for installing the alternative submarine cable.
The telecom regulator invited proposals on installation of submarine cable under private management in March and set June 15 as the deadline for submission of proposals. But the time was later extended to June 29.
The BTRC official said a guideline is being prepared to scrutinise the proposals properly. The Commission, he said, will seek opinions from concerned people through its website. The BTRC will hold a public hearing after scrutiny of proposals.
Bangladesh is connected with the "SEA-ME-WE-4" cable system, now used by 16 telecoms firms in 14 countries.