Beltone Financial stated that Global Telecom subsidiary in Bangladesh Banglalink has been negatively impacted by the decision of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, Information, and Technology’s to disconnect high-value suspected VOIP users.
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, Information, and Technology has decided to cut international incoming voice call termination rates 50 percent from US$0.03 to $0.015 per minute to fight the illegal calls market. The Daily Star reports that if the rate reduction receives final approval it will be implemented for an initial six-month "test period."
The disconnection put a pressure on the unit’s ARPU pushing it downwards by 11 percent in 9M2013 versus a decline of only 4 percent in the same period the previous year.
Beltone added in a research note " We believe if the new cut to termination rates is applied, it will be incentive for users to neglect illegal VOIP and use the licensed operators services, which would positively impact Banglalink and relieve pressure off its ARPUs."
Global Telecom operates GSM networks in Algeria ("Djezzy"), Pakistan ("Mobilink"), Bangladesh ("banglalink"), and has an indirect equity shareholding in Globalive Wireless Canada ("WIND Mobile").
Banglalink serves over 28 million subscribers with 25.4 percent market share.
