Evolution of Telecommunication Sector since the Independence of Bangladesh

Year

Description

1971

Reconstructed as Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Department under Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.

1973

ITU Membership- Bangabandhu took membership of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 1973 as part of his visionary plan to engage newly independent Bangladesh in the third industrial revolution which started in 1969.

1975

Betbunia Satellite Ground Center Launching - Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on June 14 of 1975 inaugurated the earth station to start the international Telecommunication & the improve the information technology sector of a newly-independent country.

1975

Reconstructed as Telegraph and Telephone Board.

1979

Reconstructed as Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) with right to issue license for telecom and wireless services.

1981

Digital Telex Exchange in Bangladesh- Entered into the Digital Era of Telecommunication.

1983

Automatic Digital ITX started in Dhaka.

1985

Coinbox Telephone service introduced in Bangladesh by BTTB.-Start the access of telephone service to mass people

1989

GENTEX Telegraph messaging service introduced in Bangladesh.

1989

Bangladesh Rural Telecom Authority got license to operate exchanges in 200 upazilla. The liberalization of Bangladesh's telecommunications sector began with this small steps

1989

Sheba Telecom got license to operate exchange is 199 upazilla.

1989

Cellular mobile phone company Pacific Bangladesh Telephone Limited and Bangladesh Telecom got license.

1995

Card Telephone service introduced in Bangladesh by BTTB and TSS.

1995

Regulatory power of BTTB transferred to Ministry (MoPT).

1995

2^nd and 3^rd ITX installed in Dhaka.

1996

Govt.  Awarded 3 GSM licenses to private sector to operate cellular mobile phone network to GP, AKTEL and Sheba Telecom (Banglalink) by Nov.-To destroy the Monopoly market of Mobile communication and to provide affordable mobile phone services under the leadership of prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

1998

National Telecom Policy formulated.

2000

Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) made open.

2001

Bangladesh Telecommunication Act, 2001 enacted to establish Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

2002

BTRC formed and start his journey. In order to facilitate a quick and stable socio-economic development and to provide a dependable telecommunication services

2002

ICT Policy formulated. - To Achieve Accessible and Affordable Communications for All . Strengthen ICT Human Resources and Increase Human Resource Development Opportunities through ICT and to  Improve Economic Growth and Sustainable Development through ICT

2002

BTTB joined SEA-ME-WE-4 Submarine Cable Consortium.- Bangladesh joined the rest of the Internet world with a data transfer capacity of 10 gigabytes per second.

2004

Teletalk cellular mobile launched.- To Intervene and regulation the mobile communication market.

2004

10 x Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) licenses awarded.

2004

Licensing Procedure regulation issued.

2004

Interconnection Regulation 2004 issued.

2005

Egypt-based Orascom acquired Sheba Telecom.

2006

NGN introduced in BTTB.

2006

SEA-ME-WE 4 Connectivity established.

2007

ILDTS Policy issued.

2007

Introduced Tariff Circuit (Lowest Tk. 0.25, Highest Tk. 2.00).

2007

Revision of Interconnection Charge (Lowered from Tk. 0.66 to 0.40).

2007

Issued 4 Nationwide PSTN license.

2008

BTTB converted into Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) with 100% shares owned by Government and The Submarine Cable Project transformed into Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL).

2008

Network Coverage in 3 hill track districts.

2008

2 x BWA Licenses was auctioned.

2008

3 x IGW, 2 x ICX, 1 x IIG Licenses issued in February by open auction.

2008

E-Filling for her own Satellite (Bangabandhu Satellite-1) at ITU.

2009

Internet Protocol Telephony Service Provider (IPTSP) Operators launched.

2009

Establish 6 Spectrum Monitoring Station at Dhaka, Rangpur, Bogra, Sylhet, Khulna and Chittagong.

2009

7 x International Terrestrial Cable (ITC) licenses issued.

2009

2 x NTTN Service provided license issued.

2009

12 x Vehicle Tracking Services license issued.

2009

National Broadband Policy by Ministry of Post and Telecommunications

2010

ILDTS Policy

2010

SMS based Premium Rate Services guideline by BTRC

2010

Video Conferencing Guideline by BTRC

2010

Bangladesh elected as Council Member of ITU for 2011-2014.

2010

National Broadband Policy’ 2010 formulated.

2010

Adopted project on Launching own Satellite.

2011

Telecom Infrastructure sharing guideline by BTRC

2012

License Fees of ISP, VSAT, Call Centre etc by BTRC

2012

3G mobile service introduced by state owned Teletalk in October.

2012

4 x 2G Mobile Phone Services Licenses renewed in Aug.

2012

VSP guideline by BTRC

2013

3G Spectrum Auction

2013

3G Mobile Services License awarded to 4 Operator in September.

2013

BPO/Call Centre guideline by BTRC

2013

Mobile Financial Service instructions by BTRC and Bangladesh Bank

2014

Ministry of Post and Telecommunication and Ministry of Information and Communication Technology are integrated to Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology.

2014

64 Districts covered with 3G

2016

MNP guideline by BTRC

2016

Robi and Airtel were merged

2017

SEA-ME-WE 5 Connectivity established.

2018

4G/LTE Spectrum Auction

2018

4G Mobile service is introduction

2018

Tower Sharing guideline by BTRC

2018

Bangabandhu Satallite-1 Launching

2018

TVAS guideline by BTRC

2018

Directives on Converting Existing spectrum (900/1800) into Technology Neutral Spectrum

2018

Directives on Commercial Toll Free Service

2019

Directives on Mobile Financial Services in Bangladesh

2021

Spectrum Auction of 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz Bands