State-run mobile phone operator Teletalk’s SIM cards are widely used in illegal Voice over Internet Protocol(VoIP) business as it is not complying with the telecom regulator’s directives to prevent illegal call termination and fake registration, according to a BTRC letter.The letter was issued by the BTRC (Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission) on October 16 last asking the Teletalk authorities to properly implement the self-regulation Process (SRP) as per its directives to detect illegal SIM/RIM.
During its drive conducted from September 15 to September 21 through SIM Box Detection (SBD) system and SRP, the BTRC found huge Teletalk SIM cards being used in VoIP, according to the letter.
During the one-week drive, the letter says, it detected some 11,613 SIM cards of Teletalk were being used in VoIP. It also found 38 SIM cards of Robi Axiata Ltd, 155 of Banglalink Digital Communications Ltd, 47 of Airtel Bangladesh Ltd, 23 of Grameenphone Ltd and 3 of Citycell being used in VoIP.
The BTRC, in association with the mobile phone operators of the country, installed SBD system, aiming to stop illegal call termination and false registration.
In December 2012, the BTRC introduced self-regulation barring process with a view to curbing the illegal SIM use.
The Commission, meanwhile, has formed six inspection teams and carried out a 26-hour drive to check whether the SRP process is properly being followed by the mobile phone operators.
After the drive, the inspection teams identified 1,469 SIM cards of five mobile phone operators used in VoIP while the number of Teletalk SIM used in the business was 32,996, which is 22.5 times higher than the total SIM cards of other operators.
Although there was an instruction from the BTRC to disconnect the SIM cards used in VoIP business as early as possible, Teletalk, however, did not take immediate steps in this regard, causing huge revenue losses to the national exchequer.
Contacted, BTRC officials declined to make any comment about the issue.
