The
much awaited MNP mobile number portability service has been started in
Bangladesh. Mobile phone users in the country can now change to any SIM or operator
switching their existing 11-digit mobile phone number. Customers will be able
to switch to his desired operator without changing the numbers. At present,
Grameenphone, Robi & Airtel, Banglalink, Teletalk are the mobile phone operator
in the country.
Singapore
is pioneered the service in 1997, India began MNP services in 2011 and Pakistan
launched it in 2007. As a 72nd country Bangladesh has launch this
service on 1st October, 2018. Bangladesh is a competitive market for
all the Telecom service providers. The service is expected to improve the
quality of telecom service as competition among operators will increase to
ensure satisfaction and retain customers.
BTRC
(Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission) first took the initiative
in 2009 to start this service and it was discussed by the parliamentary
standing committee several times. The recent launch of the MNP service will
bring an end to the telecom regulator's decade-long efforts. The mobile number
portability service has been launched on October 1 as trial basis. Telecommunications
and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar said, the service will be
launched officially later following feedback from customers on the test run.
Process
and Charges of change SIM:
- Customer will be charged BDT 50 including 15% VAT (value added tax) to change the provider
- Another BDT 100 has to be paid within 24 hours after the application
- The phone users will be charged a total of BDT 158, including a charge and the SIM replacement tax
- The application process will take a maximum of five minutes and it will take around 72 hours to get the final confirmation
- Customers need to visit customer care center to complete the process
- Customer can’t switch to another operator within 90 days of the change
On
the launching of the MNP service Md Jahirul Haque, acting chairman of BTRC - Bangladesh
Telecommunication Regulatory Commission said, “Mobile phone operators will feel
the pressure and definitely they will concentrate on improving quality to
retain existing customers and attract customers from other operators”. The MNP
will change the telecom market dynamics for better within a few months.
The
vice president of Robi Axiata Limited Ekram Kabir said, “We have begun to
provide MNP service to the people” and he already thanked all the customers who
have already chosen Robi and Airtel on the very first day of the MNP service in
BD.
In
June 2013, BTRC asked all the mobile operators in Bangladesh to introduce the
MNP service in Bangladesh. In 2016 BTRC decided to appoint a third party to
offer the service and awarded the license to Infozillion in November 2017. In
2018 the 1st May was set launch the SIM changing service but the
date was deferred twice as the operators were not ready. Infozillion BD
Teletech, a joint venture between a Bangladeshi firm and a Slovenian firm.
All
the operators in the country, small or big, now have equal chances in the
business and it will also ensure a level-playing field for all of them.
Among
the 15 Crore mobile users of the Bangladeshi population only one-two percent
are aware of the services they are availing. Seventeen people have changed
operators since the start of the service on the first day.
Thanks,
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