The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has announced that customers can now enjoy mobile internet packages for a longer period of seven days. The decision to discontinue the previous three-day package was made in response to customer feedback.
Under the updated guidelines presented by Director General of BTRC’s Systems and Services Department, Brigadier General Nasim Parvez, mobile internet plans for seven days, 30 days, and unlimited usage have been included. These new guidelines will come into effect on October 15.
While the discontinuation of the three-day package has been met with discontent from both customers and mobile operators, Post and Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar has voiced his concerns as well. He believes that offering 15 GB of data for only three days does not serve the customer’s best interests. The minister also expressed his belief that the operators’ decision to limit data packages to shorter durations is driven by their business interests.
The Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) Secretary General Lt Col Mohammad Zulfikar (retd) stated that the decision to discontinue the widely used three-day packages limits consumers’ freedom of choice. He mentioned that AMTOB aims to provide data packages that prioritize customer flexibility.
In response to the concerns raised, BTRC explained that the decision to discontinue the three-day package was based on customer feedback. An online survey conducted by BTRC revealed that 54.6% of customers expressed dissatisfaction with the three-day packages. The survey also indicated that 61% of customers believed that the total number of packages should be limited to a maximum of 40-50. Furthermore, 54% of customers preferred mobile internet packages with durations of seven days, 30 days, and unlimited usage.
The mobile operators, such as Grameenphone and Robi, have emphasized their commitment to customer satisfaction and stated that they aim to provide quality customer service. Operators believe that the new guidelines, which include extended mobile internet packages, will offer greater convenience to customers.