Govt opens up VoIP by June-July, country to get own satellite by next 2 yrs--- Telecom Minister Raju

Dhaka, May 16 (UNB) - The government, in a bid to minimize long-distance call costs, has almost finalized opening up the VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) business for all under a legal framework, Posts and Telecommunication Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju said on Sunday.
“The guidelines have almost been finalized and international call termination through VoIP will hopefully be opened up by June-July,” Minister Raju said at a crowded press conference held at National Press Club this noon.
Currently, only five companies - Bangla Trac Communications Ltd, Novotel Limited, Mir Telecom, M & H Telecom and Getco Telecommunications - are allowed to use VoIP under license.
The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications hosted the press conference to inform journalists about the government’s plan on World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD-2010) which will be observed tomorrow (Monday).
The government will rent out E1 (an all-digital communications line that allows transmission of voice, data, video, and graphics at high speed compared to standard communication lines) connections to the interested VoIP operators once the entire process is complete.
Replying to a question Minister Raju confidently said Bangladesh would have its own satellite within the next couple of years which will ensure quality and faster telecom services to the people.
“As the project is too expensive and has an involvement of approximately Taka 300-400 billion, we’re looking for ‘public-private partnership’ (PPP) initiative to use the satellite for commercial
purposes,” he said.
He said a number of international companies including an US-based company had shown their keenness to set satellite lonely. “But we want public-private initiative.”
Private television channels will be able to avail satellite facilities with affordable cost once country’s own satellite is launched in the space, he said.
“The satellite would serve commercial purposes including improving telecom services, helping to meet the booming demand for it. Telecom operators could subscribe to satellite services on a commercial basis,” he added.
There are several thousand satellites in space, launched by more than 50 countries. Bangladesh's neighbours India and Pakistan launched their own satellites in 1980 and 1990 respectively.
He said that the posts and telecommunications ministry would give final approval to BTRC’s proposal on ‘tariff structure and licensing’ for telecom service providers which was previously done by the BTRC.
Replying to a question, Minister Razu has said that the government is not snatching away any powers from Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
Describing different steps in developing the telecommunications sector undertaken by the present government to make digital Bangladesh, the minister said the BTCL has undertaken a massive
programme for setting up optical fiber and digital exchanges at union, upazila and district levels to reach modern telecommunication facilities to the doorstep of the commoners, especially in rural and
remote areas.
“We’ll ensure digital land-phone in all upazilas within next six months and all cables related to telecommunications will be passed through beneath the soil within the same span of time,” he said.
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is being celebrated annually on 17 May since 1969 to raise the awareness of the people regarding various aspect of ICT.
The event will be celebrated in Dhaka this year though it was celebrated in Chittagong last year. The theme of this year is “Better City, Better Life with ICTs.’
Managing Director of Teletalk Bangladesh Ltd Mohammad Mujibur Rahman, BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd) Zia Ahmed and Secretary to the Posts and telecommunication Ministry Sunil Kanti Bose, among others, were present in the press conference.