No need to change cellphone numbers

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has already prepared a guideline to introduce a system that will allow mobile telecom customers to change operators without changing their numbers, and is likely to hire a third party to implement it.

The Mobile Number Portability System (MNPS) will be implemented as soon as the authorities concerned give the green signal, BTRC Secretary Md Sarwar Alam told the news agency. 

Mahmud Hossain, chief corporate officer of Grameenphone, said, "We have nothing to say if the BTRC implements the MNPS through a third party."

The commission should consult mobile telecom operators to install the service, or else it may create problems for the customers, he added.

Mahatab Uddin Ahmed, the chief operating officer of Robi, said they would support the decision of the BTRC, but launching the MNPS within six months is not possible.

BTRC sources said on June 13, 2013, it ordered the  operators to build a consortium to make the service available within seven months but they did not respond to the proposal rather requested it to discuss the issue with them.