The standard of internet program for the whole month was fixed at 500 taka across the country. However, the customer is skeptical about the whole implementation.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has fixed new rules for broadband internet services in the country. According to a directive of the commission, if the internet service is down for three consecutive days, the service provider will not be able to charge any service charge or bill from the customer in that month.
The directive was sent by BTRC to all Broadband Internet Service Providers (ISPs) on Tuesday. According to the company, the service price of broadband internet was announced under the ‘One Country, One Rate’ program launched on June 8. This time the standard of service was informed.
According to the directive, if the internet service is disconnected for one day in a row, 50 percent of the total bill can be taken from the customer in that month. If you don’t have internet for two days in a row, you can get 25 percent of the monthly bill. If there is no internet for three days, no money can be taken in that month.
Three packages were announced last June under the ‘One Country, One Rate’ program. The price of the first package is a maximum of Rs 500 per month, the speed will be 5 Mbps (megabits per second). The price of the second package is a maximum of 600 rupees per month, its speed is 10 Mbps. And the speed of the third package is 20 Mbps, the maximum price is 1,200 rupees per month. Internet will have to be provided at the same price in metropolitan, district, upazila and union. This price is set for shared or shared (1: 8) bandwidth.
The BTRC said in the new guidelines that service providers will be able to offer new packages. However, it must be in the form of an approved package and the minimum speed limit must be set at 5 Mbps. Approval will also be required for new packages. The commission will take action if any package is given outside of this. Authorized service charges must be published on the ISP’s website.One internet service provider does not allow another service provider to enter its territory. Lets cut her. These problems have not been solved. As a result, the new guidelines are likely to remain on paper in many cases.Masum Rana, an internet subscriber in the capital
The BTRC also said in the new guidelines that customer complaints (including ticketing numbers) need to be resolved quickly and information must be stored for at least six months. The company’s vice chairman Subrata Roy told Maitra Prothom Alo that they have taken various initiatives to ensure customer service.
According to BTRC, at the end of last August, there were 15 million broadband internet users in the country. Broadband internet connections have doubled in recent years.
Emdadul Haque, general secretary of the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), an organization of broadband internet providers in the country , told Prothom Alo that they had no objection to the new directive. However, more clear guidance is needed on what will happen if internet service is disrupted due to unavoidable reasons.
Emdadul Haque said about the low speed on the internet and the exclusive business of influential people in different areas, if there is a connection from an illegal ISP, there will be a problem of speed. The muscular people of the area do the exclusive business. Customers can lodge a complaint with ISPAB or BTRC. He claimed that the new BTRC-determined tariff has come into effect. However, it is subject to 5 percent value added tax (VAT).
According to ISPAB, there are more than two thousand licensed ISPs in Bangladesh. Of these, 1,650 are members of ISPAB. However, the number of unlicensed ISPs is double that of licensees. In addition, many companies take bandwidth from a large Internet service provider to the customer, which is called ‘re-selling’. This reduces the quality of service.
Customers say influential people in many parts of the country, including the capital, work as internet service providers. If you complain about their service, you have to suffer the opposite. They will not implement the new instructions given by BTRC.
Masum Rana, a resident of an area in the capital , told Prothom Alo that one internet service provider does not allow another service provider to enter his area. Lets cut her. These problems have not been solved. As a result, the new guidelines are likely to remain on paper in many cases.
