newagebd.com http://www.newagebd.com/detail.php?date=2013-11-26&nid=74378#.

UxXKJYXbcnw
Telcos flouting rules on letting users know about 3G service quality
Ahmed Shawki
The countrys mobile phone operators are violating the 3G service regulation of the telecom regulator as they fail to provide the
users with an option to crosscheck the bandwidth and data volume promised under the packages.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission while approving the 3G service and tariff of the four operators
Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi and Airtel made launch of service parameters tools mandatory on their respective web
sites.
In the condition number 17 of the service approval of each operator it is mentioned that while calculating the 3G data speed the
first overseas entry point will be considered. And, the mobile phone companies have to provide the necessary tools on their web
site for the subscribers so that the subscribers can calculate the service parameters in real time, the condition said.
The tools would facilitate the users to compare the available speed and data in real times and the amount of speed and data
promised under his/her packages, it mentioned.
The four operators won the 3G service licence in an open auction in September and went for commercial operation in October
but no operator yet introduced such tools.
The BTRC conditions for the 3G service also said the operator must ensure 70 per cent delivery of the promised speed at all time
under the 3G packages.
The operators must have the tools available for checking speed and volume when they launch the commercial service. If they
dont have it on their web sites, then its non-compliance, said a BTRC officer when asked about the issue.
The operators do not provide such tools to check the speed as they cannot deliver what they have promised, he said.
It is the right of the users to know what they are getting. If one can measure the actual quality of service, then you could see that
most operators cannot provide even 50 per cent speed of what they promise, he said.
The BTRC chairman Sunil Kanti Bose after the 3G auction had told the media that the operators could not be able to maintain
the quality of service as they had bought less amount of spectrum.
In the auction Grameenphone took 10MHz with $210 million, Banglalink, Robi and Airtel took 5MHz each with $105 million an
operator.
Most operators took 5MHz spectrum each which will not be sufficient for them to ensure proper service quality for 3G services,
Sunil had told reporter immediately after the auction.
He had also said the BTRC would go tough about the service quality in the 3G operations of the operators.
The mobile phone companies are providing various data packages under the 3G service.
The GP and Robi are offering four speed tiers
starting from 512 kbps to end at 4 MBps, while Airtel is offering its packages in 1 MBps and 4 MBps and Banglalink is offering all
its packages under 1MBps speed range.
When contacted by New Age other than Airtel all three mobile operators declined to comment on the matter.
Airtel admitted that its website do not provide any such facility at this moment.
The speed of Airtel internet, customers can either search for the speed test application at Play Store (Android), or App Store
(Apple Products), or Market Place (Windows Phone), or App World (Blackberry) from handset or search for speed test web sites
if using USB dongle or MiFi device on a computer or laptop. In addition, the links for these stores will soon be available on our
website, said the operator.
Readers Comment
Govt bows down to pressure from traders, gives tax benefit

Finance minister AMA Muhith has allowed 45 per cent depreciation instead of exiting 35 per cent for
import of certain number of reconditioned vehicles following recommendations by the revenue board,
officials said. Full story
Fin min cuts tax at source to 0.60pc on apparel exports
Finance Minister AMA Muhith approved a proposal on reducing the existing 0.80 per cent tax at source to 0.60 per cent for export
earnings from apparel sector, sources said. Muhiths approval came on Monday on the back of... Full story
Telcos flouting rules on letting users know about 3G service quality
The countrys mobile phone operators are violating the 3G service regulation of the telecom regulator as they fail to provide
the users with an option to crosscheck the bandwidth and data volume promised under the packages. Full story
BB to introduce NRB database
Bangladesh Bank on Monday introduced NRB Database Web link in a bid to bring the non-resident
Bangladeshis under the financial service sector of the country. BB governor Atiur Rahman inaugurated
the NRB Database... Full story
H&M aims to pay RMG workers living wage by 2018
Hennes & Mauritz, the worlds second-largest clothing retailer, laid out a plan on Monday to pay a fair living
wage to some 8,50,000 textile workers by 2018, saying governments were acting too slowly. We believe that the
wage development, driven by for example... Full story
Severe gas crisis paralyses Ctg industries
Chittagong is going through a severe gas crisis ever experienced before, paralysing industrial production as well as city life.
Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged the energy advisor to prime minister Toufique-e-Elahi to... Full story
NBR rejects Chevrons tax exemption plea
The National Board of Revenue has rejected a plea of Chevron Bangladesh Limited seeking exemption
from paying tax at source on import of machinery, mostly spare parts, for gas exploration and
development activities, officials said on Monday. In a recent meeting, the revenue board... Full story
Dhaka stocks advance
Dhaka stocks advanced on Monday after they declined in the earlier two trading sessions due to investors increased
participation anticipating support from the state-owned entities. The benchmark general index of Dhaka Stock Exchange... Full
story
WTO talks fail to agree on global trade deal text
Marathon talks on the World Trade Organisations first-ever worldwide trade reform in Geneva failed early on Monday to
agree on a text to put to ministers who meet in Bali next month. The fate of the agreement to streamline custom... Full story
India ready to start Iran oil cash transfer
Indian refiners are ready to start transferring cash owed for Iranian oil as early as next week following a landmark deal to curb
Tehrans nuclear programme that allows importers to shift billions of dollars back to Iran. World powers agreed on Sunday
to ease some of the... Full story
Singapore Airlines stops worlds longest flight
The worlds longest nonstop commercial flight ended without fanfare Monday after Singapore Airlines flew its last nearly
19-hour service from New York. Flight SQ 21 landed early Monday in Changi Airport, bringing an end to a nine-year run. Full
story
Yen sinks to six-month low
The yen sank to a six-month low against the dollar in Asia Monday as a generally upbeat outlook led dealers into higher-yielding
investments, with the euro hitting a four-year high thanks to upbeat German data. Full story
Market Disclosures
Aftab Automobiles The board of directors of the company has recommended 8 per cent cash dividend and 12 per cent stock
dividend for the year ended on August 31, 2013. Date of AGM: 23.12.2013, Time: 9:30am, Venue: Bashundhara Convention
Center-2, Baridhara, Dhaka. Full story