Grameenphone files petition challenging SMP restrictions
Grameenphone filed a good writ petition before a higher Courtroom bench yesterday challenging a good June 21 directive of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) alongside two limitations imposed under significant marketplace power (SMP) guidelines.
This can be a third time the top rated mobile network operator has legally challenged different points of the SMP guidelines. Courtroom orders in the 1st two proceeded to go in its favour.
According to the constraints, scheduled to be implemented coming from July 1, Grameenphone would need to secure prior approval from the telecom regulator before rolling out any package or offer.
It will also have to have most of its existing packages and will be offering validated by August 31. Circumstances of the approved packages or offers can't be altered or amended without the watchdog's consent.
The BTRC also managed to get easier for subscribers to leave Grameenphone under mobile phone number portability (MNP) facility.
The BTRC was anticipating Grameenphone's approach, said Chairman Md Jahurul Haque, adding that there is an imbalance in the market which must be corrected and the SMP was the only path to take action.
"We have a good responsibility to get the industry in series and enhance competition. That is why, we want to impose limitations," he advised this correspondent yesterday night time.
Barrister Mustafizur Rahman Khan, representing Grameenphone, confirmed the most recent approach and said the hearing could possibly be held on Tuesday.
Sources in the cell network carrier said the BTRC didn't run any market survey and did not have any proof that Grameenphone was first anticompetitive through any of its services or presents.
"We are not manipulating or controlling the marketplace. Then why these limitations? Even they didn't follow their private guidelines to issue these sorts of directives," a senior executive of the very best carrier advised The Daily Star.
Earlier in another attempt, the BTRC had tried to impose four constraints, including increasing the carrier's call fee and interconnection charge, but put it on hold in the most recent directive considering ramifications of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In line with the SMP guideline, the regulator can declare a carrier a great SMP operator in the event it controls more than 40 per cent talk about of any parameter.
Grameenphone holds 45.64 per cent share of the subscriber base and a lot more than 50 % share of the earnings generated.
The quantity of active subscribers at Grameenphone stood at 7.65 crore, earning the carrier Tk 14,366 crore towards the end of 2019. It logged an archive Tk 3,452 crore profit this past year, the highest to date.
The telecom regulator has been working on the SMP issue since 2011. The BTRC created a committee to devise an activity to implement it.
Source: www.thedailystar.net
