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Last updated: 10 Sep : 10:14 Details |
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Welcome to the offcial website of the Internet Service Providers Association Bangladesh
In 1998 the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh was organized for the general purpose of improving business conditions of Internet Service Providers operating in Bangladesh by such activities as serving the common business interest of its Members by promoting higher business standards; disseminating technical, legal and other information to its members; operating as a trade association to benefit the community of Internet Service Providers in the Bangladesh and their customers; working for the enactment of laws and rules advancing the common business interests of its Members; and performing such other function as are customary among trade associations.
A short history of the Bangladesh ISP Industry
In the early nineties, Bangladesh had access to email via dialup to Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) of a few local providers. The combined Internet users of all the email-only service providers was not more then 500. Users were charged by the kilobyte, and mail was transferred from the BBS service providers to the rest of the world by International dialup using UUCP.
In June 1996, the Government allowed VSAT's to be operated in the Private Sector, allbeit to be provided solely by the Government owned Telephone Operator, BTTB. Only a handful of ISPs were connected within the first year. However, more liberal Government policies followed in the subsequent years which led to a rapid expansion of this industry, eventually resulting in over 180 registered ISP's by 2005. ISPs are currently regulated by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission through the Bangladesh Telecommunications Act. |
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ISPAB organized three days training Program at Chittagong
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ISP Association of Bangladesh and ICT Business Promotion Council, Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh Govt. jointly organized "Dynamic Routing (OSPF and BGP) Training and Workshop" program from 9th August to 11th Auguest'07 at Bonanza, Chittagong. 33 network professionals from Dhaka, CTG's ISP attended.
On 9th August, 10AM opening program was held, Mr. Golam Hossain, Joint Secretary and Co-coordinator of ICT Business Promotion Council was Chief Guest of program, Prof. Dr. Tazul Islam, Professor and Head of Computer Science and Engineering of Chittagong University of Science and Engineering was Special Guest. President of ISPAB Mr. M. A. Salam, Vice President Mr. Azhar H. Chowdhury, Director Mr. Sumon Ahmed Sabir, MD of Global Information Network Engg. M. Ali Ashraf were attended.
On 11th Augest, certificate distributed among participants. ISPAB very much thankful to organizers, trainers (Mr. Buddut, Mr. Kamal and Mr. Fakrul) and trainees.
[ Read the rest ... ]
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It is our pleasure to let you know that replacement works of our existing
Routers and LAN Switches are being done in full swing. In our new core
network at Moghbazar, we will have two high capacity Gateway Routers and
two Backbone Routers, and one LAN Switch with enough interfaces. At the
same time LAN Switch at Gulshan, which is now being used for your
connection, will also be replaced. To avoid the use of media converter and
reduce one point of failure, there is provision for only GE-SFPs in the
new LAN Switches. The work is expected to be completed within mid-May,
2007. After necessary testing the network will be commissioned and your
existing leased Internet connection with us will be shifted to GE-SFP port
at BTTB end. You are requested to take initiative for the corresponding
changes at your equipment. You will get an official letter regarding this
issue very soon.
Thanking you for your all time cooperation.
Support Team
Data and Internet Services
BTTB
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VOIP LICENSING: VIEWS OF THE ISPAB
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The Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) strongly supports the government’s recent decision to legalize VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). The decision to issue VoIP licenses could not have been made any sooner, and we strongly believe that this initiative to embrace this wonderful technology will benefit our economy in every way. Although we highly appreciate the effort of our government to make overseas calls easier for us, by reducing the charges to a minimum amount, the fact of the matter is that a traditional phone call can never be as cheap as VoIP, since VoIP uses the internet to carry voice and other digital information through packets. We are all aware that there is a huge demand for VoIP service in our country. It is cheap, and as it transmits voice communication, it can be used by both the literate and illiterate population. Thus, whether we like it or not, the huge demand for this technology drives a sizable illegal business, and the government is cheated out of their share of the revenue. Therefore, legalizing VoIP in the soonest possible time is imperative. It will not only boost the economy of our country, but will also help our citizens home and abroad at a personal level, as they will be able to communicate with their families cheaply.
Currently BTRC has planned to issue VoIP license to Mobile phone operators, PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) Operators and to ISPs. However, we all know that the reason why embracing this technology has been stalled so far is because of the governments concern regarding how to ensure their share of the revenue. This is the main reason why the ISPAB is of the strong opinion that license should be given to only the legal ISPs of the country. This will not only ensure that the government can easily monitor call traffic and earn their due revenue fairly, without being cheated on, but will also be in accordance with the global practice where international operators are separated from local operators.
Why monitoring international call traffic from ISP’s will be easier:
Amongst Mobile phone operators, PSTN and ISPs, an internet service provider is the only one who does not have their own last mile phone. As such it will be very difficult for the concerned authority to monitor the international call traffic of a Mobile/PSTN operator. As we all know you need three things for VoIP: an internet connection, a telephone line and an international carrier. The truth is that mobile operators as well as PSTN can obtain internet service from anywhere. If Mobile/PSTN operators receive control over International traffic along with their present local telephony network, The Government has to rely on their reporting to calculate its share of revenue. On the other hand, if the ISPs are allowed to VoIP, they will receive voice traffic from overseas and will terminate those calls to any Mobile/PSTN network. As such the government has two sources of documents through which they can verify traffic, the ISPs themselves and the telephone company from which the ‘E1 line’ is taken. In short ensuring government’s fair share of revenue from VoIP would become much easier if licenses are given to only ISPs. We also propose a central CDR Server (which does not cost much) to be placed in any suitable location for calculating and verifying VoIP traffic volume of all licensees. In this context, it is clearly understood that there is no requirement of common platform for immediate legalization of VoIP.
Ensure revenues for all sectors by issuing VoIP license to ISPs
Issuing VoIP license to only ISPs is the only way to make sure that all three business industries are benefited from the technological blessing. As mentioned before, the ISPs must have the aid of a telephone service provider as they are the only industry without a last mile end. As such, the phone operator will also be benefited from this technology as they will be charging their customers with the call. Every single call originate from/ terminates to any of Mobile/PSTN phone line. And the government will have two sources of income, one, from the VoIP license owner and another, VAT from the phone operator per call. This is the only way to ensure everyone wins.
VoIP through VSAT
Present capacity of SEA-ME-WE-4 is limited and may not fulfill the bandwidth requirement once the VoIP legalized. In order to give the immediate benefit, we feel, VoIP through VSAT network can be approved. Simply because of cost-benefit VoIP licensees will use Submarine bandwidth once it is available. And thus, due to lack of trouble free Submarine Bandwidth, we believe the licensing procedure should not be delayed.
Global precedence:
It is a common practice worldwide to separate international call traffic from local call traffic. It makes monitoring easier for the government. The only way to do this for VoIP in our country is to issue license to only ISPs and not to mobile phone and PSTN operators, as the latter two have to provide local call facilities.
International carriers:
If licenses are issued to phone operators as well as ISPs, the ISPs will lose out as international carriers will find them the least attractive partners. As a result a fledgling industry will die, where as an already strong industry, that is the mobile phone industry will grow from strength to strength and have monopolistic power. This will be detrimental for the consumers too, and the whole point of VoIP will be lost because if one sector has monopoly, they will charge any price they want and it will not be cheap anymore. Everyone loses out. Issuing to only ISPs on the other hand will ensure better economic benefit to all.
Better for a local industry:
We highly appreciate the investment in the telecom sector as it made a revolution in this particular industry. But, like it or not, the telecom industry is largely a multinational industry in our country and it will be foreign companies who will be benefited if telcos are awarded VoIP license. However, ISP industry is truly a local industry, and if they earn revenues from this technology, the money stays in the country as income of a local company.
ISPs efforts:
Of the three industries, ISPs are the only ones who played the strongest role in developing IP platform/infrastructure since its inception 11 years back. Also ISPs are actively taking steps to introduce VoIP in Bangladesh. It is only fair that when someone reaps the benefits of this technology in the very near future, it should be the ISPs who gain the most benefit. However as explained above, it will not be the case if telcos and PSTN are also awarded VoIP licenses. By issuing license to only ISPs will create a ripple effect in the economy and benefit all, but by also issuing to telcos will stifle the market and create a monopoly of the mobile phone operators. They were initially given Mobile operator license and then been awarded with ISP license. And now if VoIP license (International Traffic) is also awarded to them, the whole Telecom/IP industry will be monopolized by few foreign telcos.
ISP Industry & ICT of Bangladesh
The 11 year old industry has given its best effort in developing the ICT sector of Bangladesh. This industry is composed of mostly young entrepreneurs employing thousands of hard-working talents of Bangladesh. Issuing VoIP License to ISPs will surely help growing the overall ICT sector in Bangladesh and save the ISP industry.
Past offenders:
On a last note, if we look at the recent bust ups of illegal VoIP businesses, we will notice that the mobile phones are the ones who have had a huge profit earned from these illegal practices. Knowingly or unknowingly, they have offered thousands of SIMs, E1 Lines along with BTS support to these illegal businesses as part of special packages, and then earned millions from the calls (refer to leading news on The Daily Stra of the 10th of February, 2007). Therefore it is only fair that once the technology is legal for our population, the past offenders do not get any extra benefit from it.
Finally……
1. VoIP License should be awarded immediately for the betterment of the country
2. Only the ISPs should get the VoIP License
3. Active ISPs with proven track record of operations should be awarded with the VoIP License
4. VoIP thru VSAT can be approved for interim period until BTTB does not have enough Bandwidth available
5. Licensee Holders for Local Voice Operation (Mobile/PSTN) should not be awarded with International Traffic (VoIP) License to ensure Government’s share of revenue.
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New Executive Council of ISP Association of Bangladesh Takes Charges
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It gives us great pleasure to mention here that, the ISP Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) has elected and appointed a new executive committee recently. The election of the Office Bearer of ISPAB EC for the term 2007-2008 took place on Tuesday, December 19 2006 upon its General Election held on December 17, 2006.
In the recently held AGM (Annual General Meeting) on Saturday, 30 December 2006, at the EFES Restaurant in Dhaka, where the departing executive committee (EC) officially handed over their responsibilities to the newly appointed EC for the 2007-2008 term.
The appointed members of the new EC are as follows:
President: Mr. M. A. Salam, MD of Agni Systems Ltd.
Vice President: Mr. Azhar H Chowdhury, Director of Grameen Cybernet Ltd.
Secretary General: Mr. Russell T. Ahmed, COO of Global Online Services Ltd.
Joint Secretary: Mr. M A Hakim, CTO & COO of Dhakacom Ltd.
Treasurer: Mr. Khandoker A Al Azad, MD of Connect BD Ltd.
Member: Mr. S.M. Iqbal, MD of ISN
Member: Mr. Sumon Ahmed Sabir, MD of BDCom Onine Ltd.
As a member of the new EC we look forward to have your good wishes, support and cooperation during our term.
Russell T. Ahmed
Secretary General
SAFURA Tower (12th Floor)
20, Kemal Ataturk Avenue, Banani, Dhaka-1213
Phone Nos. 8861100, 8860111, 8860333, 8860077
Fax no. +880-2-8860044
Email : russell at goslbd dot com
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MAJOR OUTAGE IN SUBMARINE CABLE LINK ACROSS ASIA
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We have learned the reason for high latency and packet loss today from BTTB is because of a major earthquake in Taiwan which has torn apart submarine cable in the Indian Ocean.
Most of Singapore is affected and Hong Kong is partially affected too. Many ISP's in Bangladesh provide backup services via VSAT to landing stations in Singapore and Hong Kong, so a larger number of consumers will suffer. Furthermore BTTB has purchased most of its capacity from Singapore instead of equally sharing it between the east and west landing points from Bangladesh.
ISPAB expresses its sympathy to the Internet Users and urges BTTB to provide redundant back services from other providers and its VSAT infrastructure.
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Poll: Will monopoly of the distribution of bandwidth from the first-ever Bangladesh submarine-cable help in lowering Internet bandwidth prices?
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No events for this month.
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 asif25 Apr : 23:47 submarine fibre optical connectivity ta ki thik hoise? i heard it damaged and using backup....whats the update pls...
asif22 Mar : 00:13 why? again gov. blocked ports 3200 and 7777. these ports are must to play online games. as well as to communicate with intertactive web applications....who is the manager of internet of bangladesh? does he only knows ms word? he must not be a internet user. he only knows to email. all garbagezzz[censored]
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