The BanglaLion Communications, BRAC BDmail Network Ltd and the Augere Wireless Broadband Bangladesh Ltd won licences for establishment, operation and maintenance of broadband wireless access services. The three companies will provide broadband wireless internet services through WiMAX (worldwide interoperability for microwave access) technology which allows wireless data to travel over long distances by various means, from point-to-point links to full mobile cellular type access.
In exchange for Tk 215 crore each, the three firms won the bid held at the Radisson Water Garden Hotel. The bidding began at about 11:30 am continued till about 3:45 pm. The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission organised the auction. Other firms vying for licences are the Bangladesh Internet Exchange Ltd, Clearstream-Ranks (BD) Ltd, Mango Teleservices Ltd, P1 Consortium, TelStar Commu-nications Ltd and VTEL Bangla.
The chief adviser’s special assistant MA Malek, who is in charge of the posts and telecommunications ministry, attended the auction. The BTRC chairman, Manzurul Alam, vice-chairman Hasan Mahmood Delwar, commissioner SM Monir Ahmed, commissioner Aliwardy Khandkar and the posts and telecommunications secretary, Iqbal Mahmud, were present.
‘It is a milestone in the history of telecoms in Bangladesh. The operators from now on will be able to provide subscribers with internet services through WiMAX technology,’ MA Malek said. ‘It, however, would not be expanded throughout the country overnight. People will need to be acquainted with the technology first. This is why the people will also need to be trained. The government is planning on how people would be trained. We are also thinking about training programmes through the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training in Gazipur.’
Asked whether subscribers will be benefited in terms of internet charge, he said, ‘This is for the commission to monitor. The commission did not have the full regulatory powers in the past, but from now on the commission will look in the issue.’
Calling on the winners to roll out the internet network up to rural areas, the commission chairman said, ‘The main objective of allowing private companies to use WiMAX technology is to enable rural people to have the internet facility.’
The commission has estimated that the number of internet users in the country will cross one crore once the three companies starts functioning. The telecoms regulatory commission on August 30 invited applications from entrepreneurs and it set September 11 for the last deadline for the submission of applications. Twelve bid documents were sold; but nine of them took part in the auction.
According to the licence conditions, the winners will set up at least 90 base stations in the first year and the entire country will need to be brought under the WiMAX network in three years. The licence acquisition fee, set by the commission auction, will be supplemented by an annual licence fee of Tk 3 crore.