Customers shun Citycell

Citycell resumed its services after the telecom regulator reinstated its spectrum on Sunday evening but no customer switched back to the network in the last two days.

So far, only 400 connections are active and those too belong to Citycell employees or their family members, said a senior executive of the country's oldest mobile operator.

As of August, Citycell has 1.44 lakh active customers, according to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission.

Meanwhile, the operator cannot get its billing system running right now, as its billing solution provider, Ushacomm, has jumped ship following Citycell's legal battles.

The operator's website is also offline after the BTRC suspended its spectrum on October 20 for failure to pay dues.

But Citycell won the right to come back in operation after the Supreme Court last week asked the government to restore its spectrum and let it continue for now.

The SC also directed the operator to pay Tk 100 crore to the telecom regulator by November 19; if they fail, BTRC will have the liberty to take any decision it wants on the operator's fate.

Citycell's Chairman Morshed Khan said they are preparing to pay the rest of their dues within the stipulated date.

About the operator's future plan, he said they will place a host of proposals before the board and they will choose one.

Earlier, Citycell's management tried to sell off the company but their efforts were in vain.

In the capital, the operator has started service from its three base transceiver stations in its headquarters in Mohakhali and in Gulshan.

The house owners are allowing Citycell technicians to gain access to some of their other BTSs as huge amounts of rent are unpaid.

In parts of the city, the operator has been unable to pay electricity bills, so there was no power in those BTSs, said another official.

"Most of our equipment is so outdated that after the shutdown we can't reopen it," he added.

Given the state of Citycell's infrastructure, operation will not last long if new investment is made, said another official. "Revenue has come down to zero and it will not come back up again if no new investment comes."

Khan said they are very serious about saving Citycell and will do everything possible for the operator's survival.

Citycell owes BTRC Tk 477.69 crore, and in September the apex court ordered Citycell to pay two-thirds of the amount by October 19, according to the regulator's calculation.

On that date, Citycell paid Tk 130 crore to BTRC along with Tk 14 crore as tax. But BTRC said the operator was supposed to pay Tk 318.42 crore.

Citycell's dues include the spectrum renewal fee of Tk 229 crore, annual licence fee of Tk 10 crore, annual spectrum fee of Tk 27.14 crore, VAT of Tk 39.92 crore and late fees of Tk 135 crore, according to a BTRC notice.

To resolve the unsettled claims, the apex court also formed a three-member committee headed by Jamilur Reza Choudhury, vice-chancellor of the University of Asia Pacific.