Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chairman Maj Gen Md Emdad Ul Bari (retd) vowed to ensure affordable, diverse and safe services, saying data prices have to be cut down as it is the key part of his desired service delivery.
"We want to make the services safe, affordable and diverse, and we will do whatever is required for it," he said.
The chairman expressed this determination while speaking at a roundtable discussion "Importance of telecommunication networks to meet future challenges", organized by Telecom and Technology Reporters' Network, Bangladesh (TRNB) in a city hotel on Monday.
He said, "We want to do this in a transparent way in consultation with industry, public and the persons who are experienced in these matters," he added.
Emdad Ul Bari also talked about the necessity of reducing data prices as it is the key to delivering services, saying "At the end of day, data prices must be cut down because it is part of my service delivery plan."
He, however, said that it cannot be possible to survive by putting the network in jeopardy only by cutting data prices.
"Our bottom line approach is to make the service available to the people," he said, adding, "It's not our primary goal to make the business sustainable, we will do business sustainable as a means. Our aim is service."
The chairman said they will do whatever is required to outreach the services. "If we think 2-4 NTTN companies in combine can create value, we will restrict here, if we don't think so, we will increase (the NTTN license)," he added.
"We want to switch from voice friendly network to data friendly network," he hinted.
About unified license, he said it is a matter of study while technology-neutrality is a debate of business. "We have to do all things after a comprehensive thinking," he said, highlighting that a number of major licenses will expire within 2027 from now.
"Without taking hasty move, we want to do a better think through consultation with all stakeholders," adding, "Where we can establish a sustainable network, a sustainable regime, and ensure a level playing field so everyone can do their job and nobody becomes the giant. —BSS
