No plan to restrict voice call through apps: Tarana

The state minister posts and telecommunications, Tarana Halim, said the government has no plan to put restriction on the voice call through different communication apps like viber, imo, whatsapp etc. ‘We are determined to stop illegal use of VoIP, but has no plan to bar on free calling through communication apps,’ she said in the morning at her office. Referring to her ministry's continuous effort to curb illegal call termination through VoIP, she said: ‘We will continue our 'zero tolerance' against the illicit job.’ The minister came out with the announcement to make explanation over the speculation that posed due to some media report saying OTT apps would be restricted. Earlier on last Friday, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission chairman had said they would formulate a guideline on the use of Over-the-Top or communication apps as those free calling apps are contributing to cut legal international call termination. But, some media categorically reported that communications apps -viber, imo, whatsapps, wechat are going to be banned again. BTRC Chairman had said ‘Not only illegal call termination through VoIP, but also the mass use of OTT apps is also responsible for the decline of international call termination via legal channel.’ According to BTRC, now a day the country is registering daily 70-80 million minutes international call. The call volume had peaked at 123 million minute in a day after slashing the rate to 1.5 cents at the end of 2014 from 3 cents, but the volume again dropped due to increased the rate to 2 cents. BTRC is allowing maximum 2 hours from the existing 4 hours to deactivate any SIM detected for VoIP.

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