GP restores network after over 2-hr debacle

Staff Reporter :
Country’s leading mobile operator Grameenphone (GP) services have been restored after the users experiencing network disruptions in several areas since 11.45am Thursday.
Due to multiple fiber optics cables cut during road maintenance in Gazipur, Tangail and Sirajganj areas, some of GP customers have to face connectivity problems for about two hours.
However, after an outage of over two hours since 11.45am to 2pm, the situation has been brought under control and all the issues are currently resolved, GP’s Head of Communications Khairul Basher told the media.
Earlier in the day, GP users reported disrupted services in some places of the country.
Many GP customers posted on social media platforms saying that they faced difficulty in making phone calls and sending SMSs.
Khairul Basher said, “We sincerely apologise for the temporary problem which happened due to fiber cable cut and the problems resolved quickly.”
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has sent a letter to Grameenphone seeking an explanation about the network failure and how long it would take to resume the services. In response, the mobile operator informed BTRC that network will be back within 1.5 hours.
As the service is disrupted, people who use GP’s mobile network and internet service for communications had been virtually cut off.
Many resorted to using alternatives such as wifi connections or networks of other operators.
The disruption in the operator’s network added to the distress of patients as many couldn’t contact medical services or make urgent appointments with the doctors.
In June last year, BTRC imposed an indefinite suspension on the SIM card sale of GP for the operator’s failure to provide quality service.
Following a regulatory approval in September, GP was allowed to sell SIM cards against its suspended unused numbers.
However, after allowing GP to sell unused but pre-approved SIM, BTRC backtracked on its decision in November.
The telecom regulator barred the country’s leading telecom operator from recycling old SIM cards, on top of selling new ones.
On January 3 this year, the government lifted the ban on GP SIM card sales.