Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company Ltd, which is operating Bangabandhu Satellite-1—will get a licence from the telecom regulator to provide satellite services to local and foreign companies for 15 years.
“We have decided to award a licence to the satellite company. We will send our recommendation to the government within one week,” Md Jahurul Haque, acting chairman of the commission, told The Daily Star yesterday.
In a meeting on Monday, the officials of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission took the decision after the new state-owned company applied to the regulator last month.
Bangladesh's first commercial satellite Bangabandhu Satellite-1 was launched from Florida in the US on May 11 and it has successfully reached its orbit. However, it will take three months for the satellite to complete some technical procedures and start offering services.
The Telecommunication Act makes it mandatory for any entity to avail licence if it wants to provide telecom services in Bangladesh.
BTRC officials said they are yet to finalise the conditions of the licence, fees and charges.
As the commission does not have any experience in this regard, it needs to consult with the government about it, Haque said.
After the licence is handed, the BTRC will move to formulate a guideline on satellite services as there is no such licence in the country at the moment, officials said.
The move will be taken to create scopes for prospective satellite companies to deliver satellite services, they said.
Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/business/satellite-company-get-licence-1583614