4G to speed up growth of ICT, e-commerce: Experts

IT experts and businessmen have expressed their firm hope that Bangladesh would see an expeditious growth of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services and e-commerce once the 4G telecommunication service is introduced in the country, reports BSS.

High-speed internet service would lead to expansion of different types of services, propelling the 'Digital Bangladesh' into a reality within 2021 under the guidance of the present government, they hoped.

Terming internet as the basic 'platform' or 'highway', Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) President Mustafa Jabbar told BSS that expansion of highways might ensure speed. "So, the more you expand the highway, more opportunities will open up," he observed.

Although 3G could not offer expected speed but introduction of 4G in early next year would meet the needs of IT users, he added.

Replying to a query regarding the number of people engaged in information technology (IT) and IT Enabled Services (ITES), Jabbar said BASIS has over 1,000 registered ITES firms but it's hard to figure out the actual number as many of them work individually.

With a view to introducing 4G service in the country, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) will issue licences for 4G on February 14 after holding the spectrum auction for three different bands on February 13. BTRC has already approved the 4G/LTE Licensing Guidelines and announced the auction roadmap for 2100 MHz, 1800 MHz and 900 MHz spectrum bands.

For the 4G/LTE service, the BTRC has kept option for new operators. The new entrant will be eligible to participate in the 2100 MHz spectrum auction subject to their success in preliminary evaluation of the application.

The winning new entrant in the auction of 2100 MHz band, if any, will also be eligible to participate in the auction of 1800 MHz and 900 MHz bands to operate as cellular phone operator and provide 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE services.

BTRC Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood said two new companies are keen to avail the 4G/LTE licence.

Talking to BSS, e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB) President Razib Ahmed said 4G service will directly benefit the people engaged in e-commerce.

"We didn't invest any, but the government has ensured infrastructure facility, especially Internet, for us and we are getting benefit directly, and 4G will boost this sector," he added.

Presently, over 715 firms are members of e-CAB which have delivered 30,000 products in 2017 with a turnover of Tk 18 billion. In addition, there are 1,000 e-commerce-based sites and 10,000 facebook pages to run business online.

Terming the initiative to introduce 4G/LTE service a significant milestone, Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) Secretary General TIM Nurul Kabir told BSS that significant growth in mobile users, internet penetration, data usage and handset penetration have been contributing to the overall economy of the country.

"Mobile telecom sector is the digital service providers and key enablers of the connected society, since they facilitate all kinds of business, social communication, access to information, entertainment, e-commerce, m-commerce and many other forms of digital services," he said.

Kabir also said it has created many sub-sectors too, such as content providers, local handset manufacturing sectors, value added services, and innovative transport services such as Uber or Pathao.