Dhaka,
17th Feb. 2006
(www.bhuiyan.com)
--
Warid Telecom is ready to face competition and will offer high quality cellphone services at affordable cost across Bangladesh within one year, the Daily Star reported.
"Rapid deployment of our network will soon commence, which will be based on state-of-the-art technology," said Bashir A. Tahir, Warid's CEO, in an exclusive interview with The Daily Star Wednesday on the sidelines of the five-day 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, which began Monday.
He said Warid is fully aware of the stiff competition it will be facing as a new entrant. It will redefine customer service in Bangladesh and also offer a wide range of differentiating services that will add value to the customers, he added.
"We have built a best-in-class network in Pakistan with Ericsson, and we have the same ambition in Bangladesh and that's why it has chosen Ercisson as a strategic partner," Tahir said.
He also revealed Ericsson has been additionally contracted to manage Warid's entire network. It means the Swedish vendor will design, install and operate Warid's cellular mobile network, which will be also composed of the base stations made by Finnish Nokia and American Motorola. It makes Ericsson the very first managed service provider in the GSM mobile industry of Bangladesh. Therefore, Warid will not have to keep any technical staff under its payroll.
Tahir has, however, declined to reveal the value of this managed service contract with Ericsson, which is also supplying the complete switching, transmission and radio access network equipment to Warid. The Swedish telecoms giant also delivers Mobile Softwitch Solution and Media Gateway, which significantly reduces Warid's capital and operating expenses.
Tahir said the implementation of Ericsson's Mobile Softswitch is a significant first step for an efficient evolution towards totally Internet Protocol or IP-based service. By complementing the mobile softswitch and IP infrastructure with a standardized service environment, Warid Telecom will be able to offer a wide range of new and differentiating multimedia services to its customers in Bangladesh.
The CEO firmly believes that there is enough room of growth in the cellular mobile market of Bangladesh. "Increased outlets of products and services never kill any industry rather it boosts businesses, injects competition and benefits the customers end of the day."
GrameenPhone's CEO Erik Aas is, however, skeptic on this issue and recently told media, "I have no idea, how six mobile phone operators will sustain in the same market. I personally guess, after three or four years two or three companies will go for merger."
Commenting on Aas' remark, Tahir said, "I respect his opinion and I eagerly look forward to meeting him to learn about the mobile market of Bangladesh."
