Mobile phone operators claimed 94 percent of the total internet users use 'mobile internet', but it is found that Internet service providers (ISP) use more bandwidth. Of the total used bandwidths in the country, ISP’s customers use 317 GB, and customers of mobile phone operators use only 104 GB.
This information is found from the estimates given by the mobile operators, ISPs and bandwidth transport company NTNN (Nationwide Telecommunications Transmission Network).
To provide the internet service the mobile phone operators use 104 GB bandwidth. It is only 25 percent of total bandwidth usage. The remaining 75 percent coverage is provided by ISP (Internet Service Providers).
In fact, Bangladesh is now getting 300 Gbps bandwidth through SEA-ME-WE 4 submarine cable. Of this, 220 Gbps are used which is provided by BSCCL (Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited). And some of the 220 Gbps bandwidth is being supplied by the six ITC (International Terrestrial Cable) companies of the country all of which are import-dependent.
While asked the ISPAB president Aminul Hakim, told the Bangla Tribune, 'Although, in the percentages of coverage area the internet service providers are backward, we are far ahead of mobile operators in selling bandwidths. Of the total internet users, six percent ISP subscribers use more bandwidth than the 94 percent mobile internet users.
He said, 'It becomes possible due to packages of ISPs. Most ISPs give their customers access to unlimited data (internet) at a fixed rate monthly. As a result, bandwidth usage is high. On the other hand, mobile operators limit the data usage by data capping. As a result, though their coverage area and users are more, more bandwidths are through the internet service providers.'
He added, at present, the broadband (high speed) internet usage rate is 15 percent. This rate is increasing day by day. As a result, bandwidth usage of ISP customers will increase in future.
According to the latest report published by the telecommunication regulatory body BTRC currently the number of internet users in the country is 7,33,47,000. Of these, 6,86,50,000 subscribers use mobile internet. Apart from this, 46,22,000 are ISP and PSTN subscribers and 75 thousand are WiMAX Internet users.
IIGs (International Internet Gateway) provide bandwidth to ISP and mobile operators.
