Telenor Group, mother organisation of Grameenphone, has sought government cooperation to launch 3G service in Bangladesh for increasing the internet penetration in the country, reports UNB.
Telenor Group president and chief executive officer (CEO) Jon Fedrik Baksaas made the appeal during a meeting with Finance Minister AMA Muhith at the latter's Secretariat office here Tuesday.
After the meeting, the Telenor CEO told reporters that his meeting with the Finance Minister was very pleasant and successful.
He said that presently, the people of Bangladesh are mainly using cell-phone for SMS and voice service. "But this cell-phone has many more facilities for the users."
In this connection, Baksaas said that launching the 3G service in the cell-phone would be a great opportunity for the users as this service offer huge facilities for the subscribers.
He mentioned that at present, only 20 per cent of the cell-phone subscribers use internet in Bangladesh.
Replying to a question about slow speed of internet in GrameenPhone, the Telenor boss said it is because Bangladesh now uses 2G technology. "When this technology will be upgraded to 3G the speed will increase a lot."
Finance Minister AMA Muhith said that the government has no objection to introducing the 3G technology. Rather, the government is very much interested to start the modern technology.
He said that the present tele-density in the country is 80 per cent and this number is very much encouraging towards the digitisation of the country, which was one of the pledges of the present government in their election manifesto.
Muhith said that the contribution of the cell-phone companies in the country is significant to achieve higher GDP growth.
At the end of this government's tenure, the GDP growth would be 8 per cent, he said, adding that he expects to see double digit GDP growth in his lifetime.
An FE report adds: The government should consider making telecom license renewal process smooth and other regulatory regime investor-friendly and stable to ensure future flow of investment in this sector.
Jon Fredrik Baksaas expressed his concern over current unstable state of 2G license renewal and 3G license issuance in a press conference in a city hotel Tuesday.
"Telenor Group expects that regulators will establish clear and fair rules for license renewal and for the upcoming 3G license process", said Fredrik Baksaas.
He said, "With the ambition of connecting entire country, the operator aims to build quality services and secure good coverage in rural areas of Bangladesh and only a conducive regulatory framework can ensure that".
He points to the easy licensing process of early 90s and linked it with Bangladesh's success of bringing 99 per cent of its land under cell phone network coverage.
"Current 33 per cent penetration of mobile phone user is a result of that easy process and the growth potential is high", he said.
"But the internet penetration is not satisfactory yet. A rise in internet usage can significantly contribute to total GDP growth", he said. Pointing to the potential of 3G in this regard, he noted that matured 3G technology deployment in Bangladesh will boost the Education, Health and Financial service sector by ensuring better access to broadband internet.
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