Int’l Call Termination
Fin min rejects BTRC bids on rate cut
The finance ministry has rejected proposals to halve the current international call termination charge and revise the revenue sharing with gateway operators on the grounds that the proposed actions of the telecom regulator lack clarity, vision and proper direction.
Finance minister AMA Muhith sought to know the rationale for the proposed revisions and results achieved from the reduction in termination charge made in 2009, a senior official at the finance ministry said.
Muhith also wanted to know the possible outcome based on facts to be achieved once the changes sought by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission were approved.
‘So, the BTRC has to submit a revised proposal making the entire aspect clear and more focused,’ a finance official told New Age on Sunday.
He said it appeared the BTRC had pushed the agenda of some service providers without having any analysis done by them as the government cannot afford to go for a reduction in charges without being convinced that the action either benefits the government’s exchequer or the users.
‘The proposal lacks clarity, adequate data and evidences. The ministry of post and telecommunication and BTRC must have some strong arguments in favour of their proposals,’ the official at the ministry said. ‘We reject it.’
The BTRC had proposed in early February to lower the international call termination charge to 1.5 cents from the existing 3 cents and revenue sharing by the government to 40 per cent from the existing 51.75 per cent.
The proposed measures, if approved, will result in the shortfall of revenue earning to the tune of Tk 1,073 crore for the government, which would be offset by enhanced international call termination to be lured by lower rate, argued the BTRC in its proposal.
BTRC said the country records around 55 million minutes of international incoming calls daily out of which 35 million minutes are only disclosed to them, while the revenue earned through the remaining portion of the calls is pocketed by illegal VoIP operators.
Currently, some 18 IGW (International Gateway) operators out of 29 are authorised to terminate VoIP calls. The operations of the rest 11 IGW operators have either been suspended or their licences cancelled for their nonpayment of dues to the BTRC, officials at the commission said.
Officials at the finance ministry said the BTRC must inform them what actions they had taken against the illegal VoIP owners and how the illegal practice would be stopped even after the call termination rate is slashed.
-With New Age input
