Broadband News: Broadband to one third of people of Bangladesh by 2015

Nov 30, 2008

The government hopes to provide internet facilities to 30 percent of the country’s population and community-based broadband to all villages by 2015, the chief adviser’s press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim said on Sunday.

The press aide was briefing reporters after a cabinet meeting which passed the “National Broadband Policy 2008″.

Munaim said the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, in consultation with stakeholders, had finalised the policy with 11 clauses and guidelines for broadband to flourish in the country.

“The guidelines reveal that 30 percent of the country’s population will be brought under the internet by 2015. All universities, medical colleges, technical universities, research bodies, all ministries, autonomous and non-governmental organisations will have access to the net,” he said.

The press secretary also said e-governance facilities would reach Upazila levels by 2012 and all villages by 2015.

“At least one national internet exchange will be set up in each divisional headquarter by 2010,” he said.

Munaim said the advisory council meeting, chaired by chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, also finally approved the Local Government (Union Parishad) Ordinance 2008 and the Vested Property Return (Amendment) Ordinance 2008.

On the latter, the CA’s spokesman said a law was enacted in 2001 but not published by gazette resulting in lethargy in implementation.

“A gazette will be published soon in this regard.”

The cabinet also approved the merger of BSD and BSRS into BDBL, a public limited company and government Finance and Budget Management Ordinance-2008, Fahim said.

The advisory council further approved the setting-up of the North East Zone Power Distribution Company Limited under the Power Development Board.

The new company with a nine-member board of directors will operate in greater Mymensingh and Sylhet regions, Munaim said.

He said the interim cabinet also approved a draft MOU between Bangladesh and Australia for cooperation on prevention of terrorism. The MOU stipulates that both countries will exchange intelligence reports, meet at policy level and provide technical and specialised training among other measures.

The council of advisers sent a draft policy on private satellite operations back to the concerned ministry for further studies and revisions, Fahim added.

All advisers—except the finance adviser—special assistants to the CA new cabinet secretary M Abul Aziz, and other relevant secretaries.

courtesy: bdnews24.com

Guidelines for use of Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) Technology in Bangladesh

I get to manage the draft guideline below that has been posted in BTRC website. You can have a look.

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BANGLADESH TELECOMMUNICATION REGULATORY COMMISSION

Guidelines for use of Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) Technology in Bangladesh

1. INTRODUCTION:

1.1.    Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has the responsibility under the Bangladesh Telecommunication Act 2001 (the Act) to ensure access to reliable and reasonably priced Internet-services for the greater number of people, as far as practicable. With this aim in view, the Commission is considering the use of Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) Technology for last mile access solutions to open up new possibilities and create enabling situation for greater Internet penetration at an affordable cost.

1.2.    The Commission is hereby providing guidelines for the approved commercial/non-commercial use of the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) band frequencies in Bangladesh using the Wi-Fi technology in order to ensure rapid expansion of services and accelerated increase in Internet penetration.

1.3.    These guidelines are to be read subject to the Act and other relevant laws and in conjunction with the respective operators’ license conditions.

1.4.    These guidelines may be withdrawn, revised, updated or amended from time to time, without any prior notice, to take into consideration various factors including but not limited to, any threat to public health, national interest, national security and pursuant to statute or court orders.

2. OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES:

2.1.    As per the National Frequency Allocation Plan 2005 (NFAP 2005), spectrum from the ISM band in 2.4000-2.4835 GHz and 5.725-5.875 GHz is allocated for Wi-Fi use.

2.2.    Access to the spectrum will be on shared basis. There will be no exclusive assignment to any individual or organizations, whether for private, public or commercial use.

2.3.    Any Government or Private Organization/Educational Institution/Corporate Body can establish and use Wi-Fi Network on non commercial/non-profit basis.

2.4.    Household/private users are not required to take any permission from the Commission or pay any levy/charge for using Wi-Fi in the given ISM band.

2.5.    Both indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi is permitted in the given spectrum of ISM band. However, the maximum power output for the Wi-Fi equipment is limited to 1 watt.

2.6.    All commercial Wi-Fi Hotspot operators/service providers shall possess an ISP or equivalent License (e.g., BWA License). Existing operators having such License from the Commission will be eligible to establish Wi-Fi network for providing last mile solution.

2.7.    Operators/service providers will submit a detailed list of Wi-Fi outdoor Hotspots to the Commission. There will be levy/charges applicable annually for all hotspots. The levy/charge shall be charged as per the Rate List published by the Commission.

2.8.    All service providers will obtain permission in the form of No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Commission for importation, deployment, use and providing any service with Wi-Fi equipment. Guideline for Application and Application form is available at http://www.btrc.gov.bd. Existing ISM band operators who wish to adapt their present Wi-Fi equipment for the same purpose may also be provided permission from the Commission on case by case basis.

2.9.    All vendors in possession of “Dealer Possession And Radio Communication Equipment Vendor License” issued by the Commission are eligible to apply for NOC for importation and marketing of Wi-Fi equipment in Bangladesh.

2.10.The Commission reserves the right to cancel the permission if any complication arises anytime.

Link: here