Grammenphone (GP) is facing serious difficulties in providing services to the customer as the company is unable to install new Base Transceiver Station (BTS).
BTS is a piece of equipment that facilitates wireless communication between user equipment (UE) and a network.
The company is forced to shift their existing BTS set up on older buildings as many of the buildings are being dismantled for high rise multistoried buildings.
GP’s Chief Executive Officer Yasir Azman disclosed the above on Sunday while inaugurating sign-line digital care programme titled, ‘Kothagulo Hariye Na Jak Shobder Obhabe,’ dedicated for and operated by the hearing and speech impaired people at the capital’s Westin Hotel.
He said, “For baseless rumors, building owners nowadays are unwilling to rent their rooftop where we used to set up BTS. In addition, many existing old buildings are being dismantle for constructing multistoried high rise building. Due to this problem we are facing trouble also in shifting the existing BTS.”
Acknowledging GP’s network crisis, Azman said, “From July 22 we are having restriction on expanding services. In fact, we are in the dialogue with the government to identify the problem within shortest possible time. I am sure that we will find a satisfactory result pretty soon.”
About the digital care platform, he said, "Benefits of Communication technology must reach and include everyone in our society. Now we are a family of 76.5million, and it is our responsibility to serve everyone in our network, including hearing and speech impaired people.
“Integration of 'sign-line,' a sign-language based video call service on MyGP, and www.grameenphone.com will help us serve millions in special need.”
Meanwhile, due to government audit claim of over Tk 12,000 crore GP is still unable to sell new SIMs
It is to be noted that the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on November 24 asked mobile phone operator GP to pay within three months Tk 2,000 crore of the total Tk 12,579.95 crore dues as claimed by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
The BTRC claims dues of Tk 12,579.95 crore in 27 sectors from GP. Having failed to recover the money, BTRC on April 2 sent a notice to GP threatening to revoke its licence.
Later, GP moved a lower court seeking a temporary injunction on the BTRC’s notice which was turned down on August 28. Later, it filed an appeal with the High Court.
