BD-Mela.com

Dhaka, May 20 — The government is set to issue 3000 licenses for handling international calls through VoIP.

The post and telecommunications secretary Sunil Kanti Bose made the announcement at a press briefing on Thursday.

Bose said the government would allow 3000 operators to run international telephone call termination operations through the internet—a technology popularly called VoIP (voice over internet protocol).

The government would initiate the process within three to four months.

“Almost 3000 operators will be given licenses that will be able to run their business with an investment of Tk 2 lakh – 2.5 lakh each”, he said.

“Licenses will be issued at a cost less than before and it will reduce international call costs too.”

He, however, declined to mention any licenses fees.

Although Bose referred the potential licensees as international call termination operator, they would virtually act in the same manner as international gateways.

BTRC had earlier issued VoIP licences to three private companies — Mir Telecom, Novotel and BanglaTrac Communications– permitting them to make international calls over internet on February, 2008.

It was generally understood that these companies would be exclusively handling all international calls through VoIP.

At the time, Tk 150 million was charged as license fees and Tk 75 million was set as renewal fee per year for each license.

BTRC also gave the companies license on condition of sharing more than 50 percent revenue with the government.

The ministry has drawn up a regulation titled ‘International Long Distance Telecommunications Services’ for making international calls over internet.

“Under the new regulation, companies will apply to BTRC for the license. Following examination of the applications by BTRC, the ministry will give the final approval”, the secretary said.

The prior regulation had no provision for providing VoIP licenses.

Responding to a query about how the former three VoIP licenses were given without regulations, the secretary said, “If needed regulations will be formulated. The prime minister has told us to make new regulations needed to implement policies.”

The telecom secretary also revealed that the new regulations have already received cabinet approval and will be placed in the parliament’s next session for approval.

Telecom minister Raziuddin Ahmed Raju also spoke at the news briefing.

He said that the government will be selling one lakh laptops across the country priced at Tk 10,000-12,000 each within the next year.

The minister also said that the government has already made an agreement with a foreign company in this regard.