BTSS to produce low-cost phone-mobile sets, laptops

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/11/09/news0007.htm

BTSS to produce low-cost phone-mobile sets, laptops

Rafiqul Islam Azad

The government has decided to produce low-cost land phone and mobile phone sets, laptop and different telephone tools and machinery in the country.

Under the imitative, Bangladesh Telephone Shilpa Sangstha (BTSS) has already floated an international tender to procure necessary technology and equipment from abroad, according to sources in the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.

The state-run company would be the first in Bangladesh to manufacture and market cellular phones early next year and in the process reduce dependence on import in the fast growing telecom sector, a well placed official source said. He said the BTSS mobile phone was expected to be available in the market by February next.

“The price range of the hand-sets will be between Tk 1,500 and Tk 10,000, depending on their options and features,” said the official.

According to the official a tender in this regard has been floated on November 1 and tender documents will be scrutinised on November 15, the source said.

With the implementation of the project, huge foreign exchange will be saved and employment opportunity will be created, he said.

The BTSS would be able to produce modern land phone and mobile phone sets, laptop and different telephone accessories adding more technologies and equipment with the existing one as “There is trained manpower and necessary infrastructure with the BTSS,” the official said.

Earlier, following a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication, Hasanul Haque Inu, chairman of the committee told journalists that the government is also planning to produce low-cost laptop at the BTSS factory in Tongi.

He said the government would try to reduce technological discrimination by providing tele-equipment to the people at affordable prices in line with the government’s Vision 2021 for Digital Bangladesh.

The production of the BTSS was stopped following change over of Ershad government due to mismanagements, lack of planning, indecision and corruption. Earlier, it produced different telecommunication machinery including telephone set, EMD switching, DP, pole, cabinet and joint materials.

Record shows that since establishment the BTSS supplied about 3,00,000 EMD switching, 5,00,000 telephone sets, 655 trunk exchanges, 403 analogue PABX, 7 digital exchanges, installed mobile exchange for important institutions in public and private sectors.