Two ISPs lose spectrum

The telecom regulator has cancelled spectrum of two internet service providers as they have not been in operations for a long time.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission took the decision at a meeting yesterday.

The companies -- Global Access and Ektu -- obtained seven megahertz spectrum each in 3.5 gigahertz band in 2005.

"It is an ongoing process and part of a move to free some spectrum," said a commissioner who attended the meeting.

In May, the BTRC rearranged the spectrum of AlwaysOn Network Bangladesh, another internet service provider, in the 700 MHz band mainly to use the spectrum for LTE/4G or high-speed internet services.

But the company went to the court challenging the regulator's decision.

The BTRC has also decided to collect unused spectrum from private landphone operators which are not in operations.

Of the 15 landphone licensees, only four, including state-owned Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Ltd, are in operations now.

BTRC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose had earlier said they would take back the unused spectrum allocated to different companies.