Telecommunications in Bangladesh

The incentives both from government and public sectors have helped the industry grow and it is now one of the biggest industries in Bangladesh. As a populous country, its huge market has attracted many foreign investors.

TelecommunicationEdit

The telecom sector in Bangladesh is rapidly emerging. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is the regulatory authority for this sector, overseeing licensing, policy, etc.

The calling code of Bangladesh is +880. There are also several SubCodes.

1853 : Telegraph branch under Posts and Telegraph Department, British India.
1971 : Reconstructed as Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Department under Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.
1975 : Reconstructed as Telegraph and Telephone Board.
1979 : Reconstructed as Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) with right to issue license for telecom and wireless services.
1981 : Digital Telex Exchange in Bangladesh.
1983 : Automatic Digital ITX started in Dhaka.
1985 : Coinbox Telephone service introduced in Bangladesh by BTTB.
1989 : GENTEX Telegraph messaging service introduced in Bangladesh.
1989 : Bangladesh Rural Telecom Authority got license to operate exchanges in 200 upazila.
1989 : Sheba Telecom got license to operate exchange is 199 upazila.
1989 : Cellular mobile phone company Pacific Bangladesh Telephone Limited and Bangladesh Telecom got license.
1995 : Card Telephone service introduced in Bangladesh by BTTB and TSS.
1995 : Regulatory power of BTTB transferred to Ministry (MoPT).
1995 : 2nd and 3rd ITX installed in Dhaka.fuad
1996 : GrameenPhone got cellular mobile Telephone license.
1996 : Telecom Malaysia International Bangladesh got cellular mobile license.
1998 : Telecom Policy.
2000 : Global Telecom Service (GTS) Telex Exchange venture with British Teleco.
2001 : Telecommunication Act, to establish Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
2002 : ICT Policy.
2004 : Teletalk cellular mobile launched.
2005 : Egypt-based Orascom acquired Sheba Telecom
2006 : NGN introduced in BTTB.
2008 : BTTB converted into Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) with 100% shares owned by Government. The Submarine Cable Project transformed into Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL)
2008 : Japanese NTT DoCoMo bought 30 percent stake in Aktel
2009 : Bharti Airtel acquired 70 percent stake in Warid Telecom
2009 : Internet Protocol Telephony Service Provider (IPTSP) Operators launched.
2010 : Aktel rebranded to Robi Axiata Limited
2012 : 3G mobile service is introduced by state owned Teletalk in October.
2013 : 3G auction held for private companies
2014 : 64 districts covered with 3G by Teletalk Grameenphone, Banglalink and Robi
2016: Robi and Airtel were merged on November 16, 2016 and Robi set sail as the merged company.
2018 : 4G auction held for private companies
2018 : on 19 February 4G mobile service is introduced

StructureEdit

Bangladesh Telecom Network Topology

As defined in the National Telecommunications Policy 1998 and International Long Distance Telecommunications Services (ILDTS) Policy 2007, all mobile operators is to interconnect through Interconnection Exchange (ICX) and all international calls to be handled by International Gateway (IGW) which is to be connected to the mobile and fixed operators through the ICXs.

The Interconnection Exchange (ICX) will receive all calls from the mobile and fixed operators whenever the call is made to other network and will pass it to the destination network if the call is local, and will pass to the IGWs if the call is international. ICX will also deliver calls received from IGWs where the call is destined.

Below illustrate the structure of interconnection between different interfaces.