Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) will be able to retrieve a total of 15 MHz of bandwidth worth Tk 2250 crore from different mobile operators after it completes the systematic re-arrangement of the bandwidth distribution in 1800 MHz band, sources at BTRC have said.
1800 MHz band is the portion of the radio frequency spectrum used by the country’s Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) cellular networks for the transmission of their signals.
BTRC had recently started the re-arrangement of the bandwidth distribution in 1800 MHz band for four private GSM mobile operators–Grameenphone (GP), Banglalink, Robi and Airtel. The estimated time for the completion of the whole bandwidth re-arrangement process is two months, said the BTRC sources.
The mentioned operators respectively have 14.6 MHz, 12.4 MHz, 12.6 MHz and 10 MHz of bandwidth in 1800 MHz band. 1800 MHz band allow the carriers to provide service to more customers over a smaller area.
These four mobile operators also have operational bandwidth in 900 MHz band which allow them to provide service over a larger area.
Previously the telecom regulator had allocated the bandwidth to the mentioned mobile operators in different times basing on the availability at the spectrum. Such practices of bandwidth allocation have wasted the overall band potential, said a BTRC official.Now, with a systematic re-arrangement of the 1800 MHz band, the BTRC will be able to retrieve a total of 15 MHz operational bandwidth, said the BTRC official adding that each MHz of bandwidth cost will be Tk 150 crore.
The telecom regulator will also be able to accommodate more mobile operators with this retrieved bandwidth, said the BTRC official.
BTRC chairman Maj Gen Zia Ahmed told The Independent that the BTRC has long been planning this re-arrangement. “As of now, the operators were given the operational bandwidth un-systematically”, he said adding that a systematic re-distribution will free certain portions of the 1800 MHz band which now is being wasted.
He however said that the regulator hasn’t yet decided what to do with this retrieved bandwidth. “As the whole spectrum is going to be re-arranged and the mobile operators will be given their operational bandwidth simultaneously it will also improve the service of the mobile operators”, said the BTRC chairman.
-With The Independent input
