The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has fixed Tk 0.45 per minute as the uniform minimum call rate for all mobile phone operators. The regulator on Monday (Aug 13) issued a letter to the chief executive officer of all four mobile operators in this regard. The new rate will go into effect from Monday midnight, the regulator said in the letter, local media reports said.
The government has approved the fresh tariff to establish 'a level playing field' for the country's telecom operators. Through this initiative, on-net (same network) and off-net (other network) call rate disparity will be removed.
According to the existing rate, the mobile operators charge the customers minimum Tk 0.25 per minute for on-net calls, that is calls on the same operator's network. For off-net calls or calls to other operators' networks, the customers are paying minimum Tk 0.60 per minute.
Once the new rate is effective, minimum rates for on-net and off-net calls will be the same. In both cases, the upper ceiling for mobile call rate is Tk 2 per-minute which will remain unchanged in the new rate chart.
The customers will be charged in line with their connection packages, time and tariff plans, no matter which operator's network they use. Value Added Tax and other duties will be applied.
