News Title : New Telecom Policy Likely This Month

News Date : 2015-08-01

-Tareque Moretaza
The government is planning to make the Telecom Policy more customer and investor-friendly. The Post and Telecommunication Department intends to unveil the new policy in August. In March, the Department of Post and Telecommunication (DoPT) took the initiative of making a customer-friendly Telecom Policy with the intention of protecting the interests of the state and ensuring customer privacy. "We have reviewed the policy and expect to complete a draft by August," Faizur Rahman Chowdhury, secretary, Post and Telecommunications Division, told The Independent. Though the telecom operators association, AMTOB, does not have a problem with the current policy, it wants to see some changes. AMTOB wants a more investment-friendly policy, safeguarding their interests. T I M Nurul Kabir, secretary, AMTOB, said the policy should be time-befitting and investment-friendly. In this regard, the Post and Telecom Department started a public consultation programme on March 4, seeking feedback from consumers and other stakeholders through the BTRC and the Post and Telecom Department websites and SMS service. The deadline for submitting suggestions was March 15. The current National Telecom Policy came into effect in 1998. "We have talked to a wide range of people for upgrading the Telecom Policy," said Chowdhury. "We have taken the views of the user seriously since the telecom sector is user-oriented. We will talk to other stakeholders and domestic and international specialists." Increasing Foreign Direct Investment was also emphasized during the public consultation process apart from the much-talked Unified Licensing. Major Gen Manjorul Alam, ex-chairman of BTRC, said that telecom operators should be able to provide all services through the Unified Licensing system. According to the caretaker government in 2007, the Unified Licensing process should have been completed by 2011, pointed out Alam. With the change of government, the term of General Monzur was not extended. And following the death of Gen Zia Ahmed, who was appointed as the new chairman of BTRC, the initiative got stuck. Some of the suggestions received during the public consultation process have been uploaded by the Post and Telecommunications Department on its website. These are: Unified Licensing Regime – it focuses on vertical convergence referring to integration of different layers of the telecommunication sector provided by single operator. Horizontal convergence – refers to integration of different services within the same layer by a single provider. Technology neutrality – it means the licensee's right to choose technology and equipment to provide licensed service. Service neutrality: refers to the operator's right to offer a variety of different services and applications, depending on the fluctuations in demand. The approach needed for increasing FDI as well as domestic investment in the telecom sector. The suggestions also included defining the role of the public sector undertakings, directions to protect consumer interest including quality of service, principles and processes for the allocation and pricing of spectrum, standardization of telecommunication goods and service, business practices, accounting, equipment and how to encourage local entrepreneurs engaged in the telecommunication equipment manufacturing business. Officials of the Post and Telecom Department have confirmed that they are working on the policy, keeping in mind, the feedback received though public participation."

Source