Three tower firms in Bangladesh have asked to defer fee payments to the government as clashes with local operators have prevented them from commencing operations.
HighTech Consortium, Kirtonkhola Tower Bangladesh and Summit Towers received tower-sharing licences from the government in 2018, and at the time were granted a year-long moratorium on their annual fees to give them time to deploy infrastructure. Edotco was awarded a licence at the same time and is the only one that has launched services.
The tower companies have now asked the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) for an extra year’s grace period as they have not yet signed service level agreements with the country’s operators, which would allow them to launch their offering.
The BTRC has consented for the firms to waive 5.5% of their annual fees and revenue sharing, as well as 1% on their contributions to Bangladesh’s social obligation fund. This will required approval from the country’s Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology.
Local newspaper The Independent reported that the government has already waived a combined estimated total of BDT150 million ($1.8 million) for the tower firms’ annual fees.
