Telecommunication

Telecommunication is the transmission of signs, signals, messages, writings, images and

sounds or intelligence of any nature by wire, radio, optical or other electromagnetic systems.
Telecommunication occurs when the exchange of information between communication
participants includes the use of technology. It is transmitted either electrically over physical
media, such as cables, or via electromagnetic radiation. Such transmission paths are often
divided into communication channels which afford the advantages of multiplexing.

BTCL:

BTCL or Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited is the largest

telecommunications company in Bangladesh. The company was founded as the Bangladesh
Telegraph & Telephone Board (BTTB) following Bangladesh's independence in 1971. On
July 1, 2008 the BTTB became a public limited company and was renamed as BTCL. The
Bangladesh government initially owned all BTCL shares, but stated it would sell the shares to
the public the following year.

Services Provided by BTCL have given below:

1. Land-Line Telephone Service:

BTCL provides land-line telephone services in Bangladesh's urban areas, including domestic
long-distance calling and international services as well as internet services.

In 2004, the Bangladesh Government issued a number of PSTN licenses to private

companies, but they were barred from providing services in the lucrative Dhaka market
(which accounts for the majority of the nationwide market). The monopoly held by BTCL
was broken when other operators started to receive licenses from 2007.

2. Internet services:

BTCL provides dial-up Internet access in all 64 districts of the country, making it the most-
accessible Internet service provider in the country. As of January 2009 its total dial-up
subscriber is 32,433. Since the beginning of 2007 BTCL have improved its Dial-up Internet
service for better customer satisfaction. It also handles the .bd domain.

BTCL provides consumer-level broadband Internet services under the branding of BCUBE.
The service is provided through ADSL2+ technology. BTCL has outsourced its BCUBE sales
and customer support to EMEM Systems Ltd, System & Services Ltd (SSL) and Sisview
Technologies Ltd.

3. Satellite Service:

Bangladesh's first satellite on earth's orbit will have 40 transponders to provide

telecommunications and broadcast services. US-based Space Partnership International (SPI)
has already started designing the satellite and will also help launch it under a contract signed
with the government. The two ground stations that will control the satellite will be built at
Gazipur's Joydebpur and Rangamati's Betbunia. The government plans to have the satellite,
named after the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, sent to space by
June 2017.

Grameenphone:

Widely abbreviated as GP, is the leading telecommunications service provider in

Bangladesh. With more than 54.5 million subscribers and 46.3% subscriber market share (as
of August 2016), Grameenphone is the largest mobile phone operator in the country. It is a
joint venture between Telenor and Grameen Telecom Corporation, a non-profit sister concern
of the microfinance organization and community development bank Grameen Bank. Telenor,
the largest telecommunications company in Norway, owns a 55.8% share of Grameenphone,
Grameen Telecom owns 34.2% and the remaining 10% is publicly held.

Grameenphone was the first company to introduce GSM technology in Bangladesh, and built
the first cellular network to cover 99% of the country.

Services Provided by GP have given below:

1. Mobile telephony
Grameenphone was the first operator to introduce the pre-paid mobile phone service in
Bangladesh in September 1999. It offers the pre-paid subscription under the name Easy
Prepaid which is currently called "Nishchinto, Amontron, Shohoj, Bondhu, Aapon, Smile,
Spondon, Business Solution prepaid". Besides Nishchinto, Amontrito, Shohoj, Bondhu,
Aapon, Smileys, Spondon, Business Solution, Grameenphone also offers a youth based
mobile to mobile connectivity within Bangladesh named djuice.

Grameenphone offers post-paid mobile service. Xplore Postpaid & Xplore Legend is the
name of its post paid service. Grameenphone provides several other packages which can be
selected based on the type of tariff or features like pulse, sms, internet.

2. Internet:
Grameenphone provides Internet service in its coverage area. As it has EDGE/GPRS/3G
enabled network, any subscriber can access to internet through this network. Grameenphone
was the first mobile operator in Bangladesh to offer EDGE and 3G services to its subscribers.

3. BillPay:

Grameenphone provides billpay service is a service to enable users to pay their utility bills
Electricity/Gas through mobile.

Other Services:

Ekhanei.com is a service (formerly known as CellBaazar) to enable users sell or buy

products through mobile or internet. And it is free to use for all Grameenphone
customers.

Various other services like stock information, Instant Messaging, SMS Based
Alerts/Services, Voice-based Services, Downloads, music, Cricket Updates, Web
SMS, and Mobile Backup etc.