Chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Md Mohiuddin Ahmed on Thursday announced that a new registration process will begin on July 1 to stop sale of illegal mobile phones in the market.
"Until June 30, any unofficial phones connected to the network will be automatically registered, and they will not be blocked," he made the disclosure while addressing as the chief guest a workshop titled "VoLTE enabled mobile handsets and network optimisation" held at BTRC's main conference room in Agargaon, Dhaka.
The BTRC had initially launched the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) project in July 2021 to curb the market of unregistered handsets smuggled into the country, aiming to protect interests of the domestic manufacturers.
However, the project was closed shortly after its initiation.
On January 16, State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Junaid Ahmed Palak said that the BTRC has mobile phone database and automatic registration system to restrict unregistered mobile phones and to control crime effectively.
Speaking as the chief guest, BTRC chairman said there is a need to fix mobile phone prices in accordance with the purchasing capacity the country's people.
Mohiuddin Ahmed also expressed the commission's commitment to advancing 4G technology for consumers and urged decision-makers in the sector to align with global standards.
He called on stakeholders, including mobile handset companies and operators, to prioritise the welfare of the people over their own interests.
Brigadier General Mohammad Moniruzzaman Jewel, director general of Spectrum Division, highlighted the significant progress made in the mobile industry since its inception under BTRC's supervision in 2017.
Currently, 17 companies manufacture mobile handsets in the country, meeting 99 per cent of the domestic demand, he said, adding that this has attracted both foreign and domestic investments in the industry.
Jewel also outlined a key component of BTRC's spectrum roadmap, aiming to phase out the 2G network/technology from Bangladesh by 2029-2030.
To achieve this, he said 2G devices will gradually be replaced by 4G-capable smart/feature phones, and the workshop was organised to address this transition.
Lieutenant Colonel Awal Uddin Ahmed, director of Spectrum Division, gave a detailed presentation on the significance and scope of Voice over Long Term Evaluation (VoLTE), technical procedures, operational principles, and strategy implementation.
Engineer Sheikh Riaz Ahmed, Commissioner of the Spectrum Division, stressed the importance of equal preparation among all operators for VoLTE adaptation, encouraging those who have not yet phased out 3G networks to do so soon.
The Commissioner of Finance, Accounts, and Revenue Division Dr Mushfiq Mannan Chowdhury emphasised the need for industry-academia coordination to ensure the timely delivery of the latest technology to customers.
Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Mohammad Zulfikar, secretary general of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), assured that mobile phone operators are fully prepared to embrace VoLTE technology, emphasising the complementary improvement of both networks and devices.
Secretary General of the Mobile Phone Industry Owners Association of Bangladesh Zakaria Shaheed sought cooperation from mobile operators regarding VoLTE-enabled handsets and network optimisation.
Mobile phone manufacturing companies expressed their commitment to producing affordable devices for customers, he said.
The workshop brought together officials, experts, and representatives from various sectors, focusing on network evaluation, manufacturers, quality control, VoLTE services, and more.
Discussions centered on topics such as network infrastructure assessment, VoLTE readiness, device considerations, collaboration, quality assurance, and customer experience.
VoLTE, the latest technology in mobile phone voice communication, enables customers to make voice calls directly through the 4G network, offering benefits such as crystal-clear voice quality, quick call connections, and longer battery life.
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