News Title : ICX operators seek power to limit IGW termination

News Date : 2015-11-09

-Ahmed Shawki
The country’s international exchange operators have recently sought permission from the telecom regulator to limit the termination of the international gateway operators if IGWs fail to perform as per procedure. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission officials said that an application was submitted under the name of the Association of ICX Operators Bangladesh in this regard. The BTRC officials said in the letter, signed by AIOB president Nazib Ahmed, the ICX operators sought some power to secure their payment mode with the IGW operators. They also said that the ICX operators also wanted to form a forum like the IGW operators which enjoys some control. The ICX operators route international and domestic calls and link between the other operators like international gateway operators and mobile telephone operators. ‘We have received the application and currently analysing its merit. The IGW Operators Forum has power over the IGW operators which are the same licensees. If the ICX operators want power over some other operators, then there is hardly any chance for that. So we need to see why they need to form an association like the IGWs to secure their payment,’ a senior BTRC official told New Age on Sunday. Despite several attempt Nazib could not be reached for comments. The government in September last year allowed seven influential IGW operators to from a cartel, IGW Operators Forum or IOF, in a bid to facilitate politically-backed IGWs. According to the new system, the seven IGWs operators can terminate international calls while the other 23 IGWs can only bring calls although all operators hold the same licence. Industry insiders say that the there is an internal talk going on among the ICX operators to form a forum. ‘As per my knowledge, the application was submitted to address some operational issues. For example, if any IGW fails to follow the procedure of assigning calls and has payment issues, then ICX wants the power to limit calls or suspend terminations,’ a senior official of a IGW operator said. Before 2012 there were two ICX operators in the country but the government in political consideration awarded 23 new licences. The market insiders say that too many licences have created problem in the industry and the business has dried out.

Source