Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) on Saturday placed a seven-point demand to ensure the protection of local entrepreneurs, including setting a floor price for internet services, introducing active network sharing, and keeping last-mile connectivity under the control of ISPs.
The demands were presented at a workshop titled ‘Draft Telecom Policy and Challenges of the ISP Industry’, organised by Telecom Reporters’ Network Bangladesh (TRNB) at RAOWA Club in the capital’s Mohakhali area on Saturday.
At the event, ISPAB placed the following demands:
Introducing both floor and ceiling prices for internet services.
Setting the minimum package price at Tk 800 for 50 Mbps internet speed.
Implementing active network sharing which will improve service quality and significantly help reduce internet costs.
Ensuring last-mile connectivity remains under ISP control.
Reducing the NTTN (Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network) service charges to a single-digit percentage.
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Eliminating Social Obligation Fund (SOF) and revenue sharing system.
Ensuring the protection of local entrepreneurs.
ISPAB President Aminul Hakim, Secretary General Nazmul Karim Bhuiyan, former president Abdus Salam, and Emdadul Haque spoke at the workshop, while Mobarak Hossain presented the overall ISPAB proposal.
Aminul Hakim said, “The proposed draft Telecom Policy has created the biggest policy crisis in the last 27 years, which is self-contradictory. Providing the best internet service at the lowest price is unrealistic. This has become part of cheap politics. If the government does not offer concessions, private companies will not be able to reduce internet prices.”
He said the government collected around 60 percent of taxes and revenue from the ISP sector, and under such circumstances, providing high-speed internet at low prices was impossible.
They wanted to offer quality internet service at an affordable rate and, for that, needed a proper policy, Hakim added.
ISPAB Secretary General Nazmul Karim Bhuiyan said, “Due to the absence of active sharing, a huge amount of money is being wasted in the country. To address this, we have already set up a common 1 Gbps cable line in Dhanmondi, through which 77 ISPs are jointly providing high-speed internet services.”