Dhaka, May 12 (bdnews24.com)—The telecoms regulator has cancelled licenses of five private land phone companies for their involvement in illegal internet telephony, commonly known as VoIP.
BTRC chairman Zia Ahmed told bdnews24.com on Wednesday that the regulator decided to cancel licences of the phone companies, which have been shut down since late March on charges of illegal VoIP operations.
The regulator's crackdown on illegal VoIP operations between March 14 and 23, shut down operations of Dhaka Phone, WorldTel, RanksTel, PeoplesTel and National Telecom.
In all, 0.6 million subscribers, with RanksTel accounting for half, saw their connections summarily severed due to Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission's (BRTC) actions.
The BTRC on Mar 23 served a notice on the companies asking why its licence would not be cancelled.
BTRC in a raid on the headquarters of the five operators recently found evidence of illegal voice over internet protocol (VoIP) operations and seized equipment.
The regulators also nailed several 'rogue' telecom companies, and suspended their operations, prompting the prime minister to ask authorities to fine the telephone operators instead of shutting them down. But some operators went to the court for a decision.
RanksTel is the market leader with more than 3,00,000 subscribers followed by PeoplesTel's with 1,60,000, and National Telecom's 1,38,000. Dhaka Phone 77,000 and WorldTel 14,000.
The decision came after the High Court on Tuesday gave the regulator seven days to decide whether RanksTel's licence should be cancelled following a writ petition by A Rouf Chowdhury, chairman of the private land phone company.
The verdict said: "If the licence is cancelled, an administrator has to be appointed there."
"The administrator will be working for six months or until the criminal case is resolved."
BTRC chairman told bdnews24.com that they are awaiting the High Court's order in writing.
"We respect the High Court's decision and we will take steps according to that," he added.
VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol is a technology that allows free telephone calls over the internet.
VoIP has been legalised in Bangladesh, but licensed operators have to give away more than 54 percent revenue to the government, making illegal operations lucrative.
In 2008, the government awarded VoIP licenses to a handful of companies— Novotel Limited, Bangla Trac Communications Ltd, Mir Telecom, M & H Telecom and Getco Telecommunications.
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