BTRC revises guidelines for ISPs

Business Desk :
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has issued guidelines on the usage of radio frequencies, apparatus and equipment by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) on Tuesday.

The telecom regulator also said that the instructions were issued to streamline, restructure, and bring an order for the frequency allocation process under the ISP license and make the overall process transparent.

The ISPs have been providing wireless internet services through the allocated ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band.

Various important organizations (banks, embassies, international organizations, industrial plants, etc.) require wireless connectivity as an alternative to the wired core connection used for data communication, which is provided by wireless ISPs.

The ISM radio bands are frequencies reserved internationally for the use of radio frequency (RF) energy for industrial, scientific and medical uses other than telecommunications.

BTRC said the instruction would provide a clear understanding among ISP operators about the requirement of authorization and related application processes for the use of frequencies.

The BTRC instruction states that ISPs can get allocations of ISM Band (2.4000 -2.4835 GHz and 5.7255.875 GHz), 5 GHz Band (4.900 -5.725 GHz) and Microwave.

The directions said that ISPs should be subject to prior approval of BTRC or should import through BTRC-listed vendor organizations as per prevailing norms, if any type of wireless equipment is required to be imported.