International Gateway (IGW) operators in Bangladesh can now establish and operate their own Inter-Operator Exchange (IOX) switches following a directive issued by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on 30 September. First Communications Limited (FirstCom BD), a licensed IGW operator, says the decision creates new opportunities for investment in telecommunications infrastructure and greater operational independence.
IGW operators have been handling international voice traffic in Bangladesh since 2008. The sector began with three licences that year, with the number rising to 29 by 2012. Under the International Long Distance Telecommunication Services (ILDTS) Policy 2007, international calls are routed through an IGW to an Interconnection Exchange (ICX) before reaching a mobile or fixed-line operator.
Operators generate revenue from incoming international calls and share it with the government and other service providers in the telecommunications network. According to the IGW Operators Forum, its members have contributed more than Tk10,000 crore to the national exchequer since 2008. BTRC has also linked international call termination rates to foreign currency inflows.
However, the sector has faced growing challenges in recent years as the popularity of app-based calling services has significantly reduced incoming international voice traffic. BTRC has acknowledged this decline, which has increased pressure on licensed operators to maintain service quality, network reliability and operational efficiency.
First Communications Limited has operated in the sector for 14 years, having obtained its IGW licence in April 2012. A subsidiary of S Alam Group, First Com has made substantial investments in network infrastructure and interconnection facilities while creating hundreds of jobs in technical operations, marketing, information technology and billing. It has also played an active role in the IGW Operators Forum.
According to the company, its telecommunications infrastructure includes redundant next-generation network switches across four countries on three continents, along with a presence at Equinix Singapore supporting both Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) and Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity.
FirstCom says its network operations centre operates around the clock, supporting call termination services to more than 180 countries with a commitment to 99.99 per cent network uptime.
Under the new BTRC directive, IGW operators will be able to establish separate IOX switches and connect through their own Common International Points (CIPs). Previously, operators relied on a shared interconnection arrangement, with participation requiring an advance bank guarantee to protect government revenue in the event of payment defaults.
The new arrangement will allow individual operators greater control over network capacity, call routing and infrastructure upgrades, reducing their dependence on a common switching point.
The BTRC chairman has clarified that the directive was issued under existing laws and applies to all licensed IGW operators rather than benefiting any particular company.
FirstCom and several other operators have welcomed the decision, describing it as a positive step towards strengthening network reliability, improving service delivery and encouraging further investment in Bangladesh’s international telecommunications infrastructure.