DHAKA: The GSMA (Groupe Speciale Mobile Association), the global association of mobile operators working to support the standardising, deployment and promotion of the GSM mobile telephone system, has sent a letter to the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications in Bangladesh urging the ministry to seek public consultation before up-coming spectrum auction.

Welcoming the release of additional spectrum to address the increasing use of data services in Bangladesh, the letter requested that the allocation of new spectrum be “transparent and consistent with international best practices so as to avoid sub-optimal outcome for all stakeholders concerned”.

Recently forwarded the GSMA letter was copied to the Finance Minister, ICT State minister, Senior Secretary at the PMO, and Chairman BTRC, said a press release by Grameenphone Limited.  

Calling for the draft guidelines to be put through a proper public consultation process, John Giusti, Head of Policy, GSMA, the signatory of the letter, pressed that “such a process would allow all interested parties to study the guidelines in detail and provide valuable feedback to help ensure that the spectrum auction, when conducted, will be a successful one for the Government of Bangladesh.”

Earlier Grameenphone had raised its concern over the spectrum auction process because of a condition in the draft auction guideline that discriminated against GP’s participation in the 1800 MHz spectrum auction.

Meanwhile, GP has also been pressing for resolution of long-pending critical issues, promised during the last 3G auction, before any new auction is initiated.

Grameenphone CEO, Rajeev Sethi, said that “we have been continuing to press for an all-inclusive, balanced auction and strongly feel that the authorities should still pursue that option for the benefit of the industry and the country.”

Referring to the discriminatory condition in the draft guideline, Hakon Bruaset Kjol, Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Affairs, Region Asia at Telenor Group, the major shareholder in GP, said, “Unlocking the digital potential of Bangladesh requires timely release of spectrum to operators that makes efficient use of the radio frequencies.”

The internet-demanding consumers in Bangladesh deserve this. However, first and foremost the investors depend on a predictable environment for regulation and tax policies to be able to make long term investments decisions. Spectrum auctions could only be successful when such an environment has been established.”

Spectrum resource is critical for growth and directly impacts the mobile operators’ ability to expand network coverage, increase capacity and introduce new technology efficiently. With one of the lowest internet usage rates in the world, it is believed that fair spectrum allocation would increase mobile broadband penetration and transform Bangladesh into a digitally empowered society and knowledge-based economy.

About Grameenphone Ltd

Grameenphone, part of the Telenor Group, is a leading telecommunications service provider in Bangladesh with more than 51 million subscribers. Since its inception in 1997, Grameenphone has built the largest cellular network in the country, covering nearly 99 percent of the country's population. With its brand promise to enable customers to “Go beyond”, Grameenphone seeks to help customers get the full benefit of mobile data and voice services and provide Internet For All. Grameenphone is listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange.  www.grameenphone.com:  www.facebook.com/grameenphone. 

BDST: 1955 HRS, FEB 19, 2015