Augere Wireless has started WiMax Internet in Dhaka under banner QUBEE

Augere Wireless has started WiMax Brandband Internet in Dhaka at some selected areas including Motijheel, Gulshan, Baridhara etc. Visit qubee-bd website for more information.

Below are the packages Augere Wireless is offering under banner QUBEE. You should also check the rate in Pakistan (www.qubee.com.pk) with same operator to make a clear comparison.

 

 

QUBEE Bangladesh WiMax Internet Package

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

QUBEE Pakistan WiMax Internet Package

BTCL High-Speed Broadband Internet - New Packages

Nov 10, 2009

The number of BTCL customers could not reach even 1,000 though the high-speed broadband internet service was launched seven months ago.

To increase the number of customers, the state-owned Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Ltd (BTCL), has now introduced three new packages and reduced charges for its other packages.

BTCL managing director engineer S M Khairuzzaman regretted that the present strength of BTCL subscribers is below 1,000 though the big cities have the connection capacity for 33,000 high-speed broadband lines.

He told bdnews24.com, "Along with land phones, BTCL, with the objective of giving value added services, has introduced three new packages at reduced prices."

A meeting of the board of BTRC—the telecom regulatory body—approved the new packages and reduced call charges being introduced by BTCL.

He further claimed that compared with other services, the new BTCL packages would provide scope for downloading data up to two gigabytes with a speed of 128 kbps at Tk 300 only.

"Last April, BTCL introduced its high-speed broadband internet service along with land phone dial-up connections. This internet service is given in five packages under the 'adsl plus2' technology," said the BTCL MD.

BTCL started giving the broadband connections to Dhaka, Chittagong, Comilla, Jessore, Rajshahi, Bogra, Khulna, Barisal and Mymensingh.

An official concerned, preferring not to be named, said, "Because of lack of effective steps for marketing and also the absence of publicity, this service could not earn popularity among customers."

He said, "Compared with other internet service providers, BTCL's improved high-speed broadband internet service remained unnoticed by customers."

If publicity is properly done, BTCL will have a terrific market for its broadband internet service, he observed.

"Though we are offering a qualitatively better broadband service at a competitive price, we are yet to attract customers," admitted BTCL managing director Khabiruzzaman.

"That is why the new packages have been introduced with reduced charges."

Under the new pre-paid packages, customers can download 2 gigabytes at a speed of 128 kbps at Tk 300, 8 gigabytes with 256 kbps at Tk 1,200 and 16 gigabytes with one megabyte speed at Tk 2,400. BTCL charges only Tk 500 as registration fee and Tk 600 taka as setup configuration cost.

BTCL has two packages for day and night. For the daytime (from 8am to 8pm), the charge for 128 kbps is Tk 2,100, for 256 kbps the charge is Tk 4,500 and for 2,000 kbps the cost is Tk 6,000—all for a three-month period.

For night-time (8 pm to 8am), the charge is Tk 3,000 for three months for 512 kbps, Tk 4,500 for 1000 kbps and Tk 7,200 for 2,000 kbps.

Registration fee is only Tk 300 for these two packages and Tk 500 is setup configuration charge.

On the other hand, unlimited postpaid connection charges were also reduced, BTCL officials informed.

Under re-fixed rates, the charge is Tk 800 for 128 kbps, Tk 1,200 for 256 kbps and Tk 2,000 for 512 kbps—all for three months.

If any customer pays three months' charges at a time, a bonus for free internet use will be given for an additional one month.

courtesy: bdnews24.com

Augere Wireless Launches WiMax on Trial in Dhaka

Augere Wireless Broadband Bangladesh Ltd, one of the two WiMax licensees, launched high-speed broadband internet services yesterday on a trial basis with a focus for commercial operations.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith inaugurated the wireless internet technology, which will initially be launched in some areas of Gulshan and Banani on trial.

WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a wireless digital communication system that can provide broadband wireless access across 30 miles for fixed phone and 3-10 miles for mobile stations.

Three bidders -- BanglaLion Communication, BRAC BD Mail Network Ltd and Augere Wireless Broadband Bangladesh Ltd -- won the WiMax licences through an auction organised by Bangla-desh Telecommuni-cation Regulatory Commission (BTRC) in September last year. However, BRAC later refused to take the licence.

The Tk 215 crore bid price had become a 'double bind' for both the telecom regulator and licensees. The regulator extended the deadline for launching WiMax services several times.

UK-based Augere Holdings owns 60 percent of Augere Wireless Broadband Bangladesh Ltd along with two other local companies. Teleport Bangladesh owns 30 percent and Aamra Resources Ltd owns 10 percent in the company.

"Technology must be welcomed, but we should avoid a digital divide. WiMax is a technology that can be availed anywhere," he said.

Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, telecommunication minister, Abul Kalam Azad, information minister, Zia Ahmed, BTRC chairman, and Jerry Mobbs, chief executive officer of Augere Bangladesh, were also present at the launch at the Westin Dhaka.

"The real internet experience is here," said Sanjiv Ahuja, chairman and chief executive officer of Augere Holdings.

Augere Bangladesh is poised to meet demand for the internet using WiMax technology, he said.

Bangladesh, with the lowest internet penetration in the world at 4 percent, will be exposed to high-speed wireless internet by the launch of the WiMax technology. At present, the country has four million internet users.

source: thedailystar.net

Ericssion urges 3G supported frequency in Bangladesh

6 May 2009:

The world's biggest mobile network maker, called on Bangladesh on Wednesday to issue 3G licences so operators can launch mobile broadband services there.

Mobile broadband services, which require the licensing of the 2100 MHz spectrum band for third-generation services, would give many more people access to the Internet as Bangladesh has a high number of mobile phones and comparatively few fixed lines.

"If the government releases appropriate spectrum for 3G, which is the proven global mainstream for the mobile broadband, then we are confident that it will contribute significantly to the country's GDP growth," Arun Bansal, managing director of the Ericsson Bangladesh, told a news confrence.

The mobile phone sector contributed 6.2 percent of Bangladesh's GDP in 2007. Research firm Deloitte & Touche have estimated that mobile communication has raised GDP growth in Bangladesh by 0.12 percent for each 1 percent increase in penetration.

"It is estimated that there are over 6 million mobile internet users and already today 15 percent of the mobile handsets used in Bangladesh market are 3G enabled," Bansal said.

Bangladesh's mobile sector has grown rapidly, with the number of users reaching around 46 million at the end of March from 200,000 in 2001, compared with only 1.37 million fixed-line phones.

Analysts have predicted that by 2011 the number of mobile subscribers could top 70 million, which is nearly half the country's population.

There are six cellphone carriers in Bangladesh, of which five are foreign operators. Grameenphone, controlled by Norway's Telenor leads the market with 21 million subscribers followed by Egyptian Orascom Telecom's Banglalink.

Although nearly half of the country's population is still below the poverty line, the country has been one of the world's fastest growing cellular markets.

Telecom analysts have said that the 3G broadband services would enable people to get easy access to information on health, education, agriculture and job opportunities.

source: yahoo news

Discussion about WiMax in Bangladesh: BanglaLion to start WiMax services soon

BanglaLion is starting WiMax services in Bangladesh from 1st of June, 2009. Now the tension grows,

How will be the service?
What will be the speed? Will it be dedicated?
How much affordable it would be?
Whether it will be available in our area?
What value add it will do in terms of speed, affordability & availability when comparing to existing services (GP/Citycell internet and other Internet services)?

Although the packages have been published, the speed and necessary cost failed to satisfy many of us who were eagerly waiting for its successful operations in the country. Just to reiterate below is the packages,

BanglaLion WiMax Service Package:
1. Home User/Individual for Tk 600/Month
2. Corporate (5-10 users) for Tk 550/Month
3. Corporate (10 users above) for Tk 500/Month
4. Day User (Max 3GB) for Tk 45/Day
5. Night Package (12 AM to 9 AM =9 hrs) for Tk 300/Month

If you want to register, pls click here: http://www.banglalion.com.bd/BDLION/index.php

BanglaLion contact information:

BanglaLion Communications
House # 67, Road # 1, Block # I, Banani
Dhaka-1213, Bangladesh
Phone : (880 2) 8814059-60
Fax : (880 2) 9885647

From their website,

Phone :036-99350033, 036-99350000
Email:
info@banglalion.com.bd
corporate@banglalion.com.bd
dealers@banglalion.com.bd
services@banglalion.com.bd

You can post your comments/feelings/thoughts about WiMax in Bangladesh and recent operations by BanglaLion Communications.

Updates:

31-May-2009:
BanglaLion is not going to start WiMAX from 1st June, it may take 2/3 months more to start officially, this is due to technical issues and setup. However they expect to go with test-run from 1st June.

On the other hand Augere is having frequency issues and then can only start trial after AUgust.

3G in Bangladesh

We have been also hearing about 3G in Bangladesh for quite long time by some media sources and seminars on different times, still we are not very sure about its implementation.

3G:

International Telecommunications Union (ITU): IMT-2000 consists of six radio interfaces

W-CDMA also known as UMTS
CDMA2000
TD-CDMA / TD-SCDMA
UWC (often implemented with EDGE)
DECT

3G Considerations:

Speed
Minimum speed of 2 Mbit/s for stationary or walking users, and 348 kbit/s in a moving vehicle

Service
Converged fixed, mobile, voice, data, Internet and multimedia services. One of its key visions is to provide seamless global roaming, enabling users to move across borders while using the same number and handset

Flexibility
Providing a highly flexible system, capable of supporting a wide range of services and applications. The IMT-2000 standard accommodates five possible radio interfaces based on three different access technologies (FDMA, TDMA and CDMA)

Affordability
3G systems had to be affordable, in order to encourage their adoption by consumers and operators

Compatibility
3G has to be compatible with existing systems. 2G systems, such as the GSM standard

Design
3G must be easily expandable in order to allow for growth in users, coverage areas, and new services, with minimum initial investment

More info: http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/imt-2000/technology.html#Cellular Standards for the Third Generation

 

We already have CDMA2000 in the country, Citycell and other PSTN operators are providing mobile broadband services by CDMA2000 technology. For recent few years our mobile phones has also has got the technology of supporting 3G technology, however we are still stuck at the fact of creating guidelines/ policies etc.

When will we actually get this service?

Fiber at Home (Fiber@Home) in Bangladesh

Fiber at Home (Fiber@Home), a new company in Bangladesh to install nationwide internet connection through Fiber to provide high-speed internet service to end-users.

Website: http://www.fiberathome.net

Project doc: http://www.fiberathome.net/q1/fiber@home.pdf

bit/byte and kilo/mega/giga/tera/peta

Convention:

"b" (small B) denotes bit and "B" (capital B) denotes byte.

128 kb = 128 kilo bit

16 kB = 16 kilo byte

For some cases, "k" (small K) before "b" denotes bit and "K" (capital K) denotes byte.

128 kb = 128 kilo bit

16 Kb = 16 kilo byte

So,

1 Kilo Byte = 1 kB = 1 KB

1 Kilo Bit = 1 kb

Learning:

1 Byte = 8 Bit

1 kb (Kilo-Byte)

= 1000 bit

= 125 Byte

= 0.125 KB

 

1 mb (Mega-Bit)

= 1000 kb

= 1000 x 1000 bit

= 125,000 Byte

= 125.00 KB

= 0.125 MB

 

1 gb (Giga-Bit)

= 1000 mb

= 1000 x 1000 kb

= 1000 x1000 x1000 bit

= 125,000,000 Byte

= 125,000 KB

= 125 MB

= 0.125 GB

Citycell ZOOM Modem/ CDMA Modem in MAC Operating System

well, you should obviously be able to use your Citycell ZOOM or any CDMA Modem in MAC operating system. All you need is that your modem's driver for MAC. For that you can get details from modem manufacturer website. If you can't find any information, either contact manufacturer support or search for the driver in Google, you can also find some generic driver from MAC forums or at least information.

 

Below links might be useful in this regard,

http://homepage.mac.com/jrc/contrib/mobile_office/

http://www.engadget.com/2005/01/18/how-to-use-your-cdma-cellphone-as-a-usb-modem/

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Hardware/Networking_Hardware/Modems/Q_22552246.html

http://forum.soft32.com/mac/CDMA-modem-Mac-ftopict108846.html

BanglaLion to start WiMax operation from 1st June in Bangladesh

 

Banglalion Communications has officially announced about launching WiMax operations in Bangladesh from 1st of June 2009.

It says on the advertisement on Daily Ittefaq that the minimum speed would be 128 kbps (16.0 KB) up to several Mbps including coporate business offer.

BanglaLion will offer several tariff plans at a minimum 128 kbps speed :

1. Home User/Individual for Tk 600/Month
2. Corporate (5-10 users) for Tk 550/Month
3. Corporate (10 users above) for Tk 500/Month
4. Day User (Max 3GB) for Tk 45/Day
5. Night Package (12 AM to 9 AM =9 hrs) for Tk 300/Month

If you want to register, pls click here: http://www.banglalion.com.bd/BDLION/index.php

Contact of BanglaLion:
I got below one from my previous post,

BanglaLion Communications
House # 67, Road # 1, Block # I, Banani
Dhaka-1213, Bangladesh
Phone : (880 2) 8814059-60
Fax : (880 2) 9885647

Recently from their site,

Phone :036-99350033, 036-99350000
Email:
info@banglalion.com.bd
corporate@banglalion.com.bd
dealers@banglalion.com.bd
services@banglalion.com.bd

I am eagerly waiting to see its services.

This post has been locked for posting comments. Pls follow my new thread to continue discussion on this topic.

BTRC Chairman Major General Manzurul Alam quits

Feb 10, 2009

BTRC chairman Manzurul Alam has resigned, the telecoms minister said.

Minister Raziuddin Ahmed Razu told bdnews24.com Tuesday afternoon he had received the letter of resignation from the former major general.

Alam was given the crucial job by the military-controlled caretaker government in April, 2007.

The tough-talking former army Signals officer courted controversy through his handling of the licencing process, and many alleged he failed to follow his own guidelines in awarding lucrative licenses.

Alam, then a brigadier, also served as a director at the spy outfit DGFI in the mid-1990s.

As allegations surfaced of his "unfair dealings" about award of International Internet Gateway (IIG) and WiMAX licences, the BTRC chief was apparently asked to quit to avoid further controversy surrounding the key regulatory agency.

courtesy: bdnews24.com

What is WiMax: A Simple Approach to Understand WiMax

Figure 1 WiMAX has the potential to impact all forms of telecommunications

WiMAX has the potential to replace a number of existing telecommunications infrastructures. In a fixed wireless configuration it can replace the telephone company's copper wire networks, the cable TV's coaxial cable infrastructure while offering Internet Service Provider (ISP) services. In its mobile variant, WiMAX has the potential to replace cellular networks. How do we get there?

What is WiMAX or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access? WiMAX is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE, see http://www.ieee.org) standard designated 802.16-2004 (fixed wireless applications) and 802.16e-2005 (mobile wire-less). The industry trade group WiMAX ForumTM (http://www.wimaxforum.org ) has defined WiMAX as a "last mile" broadband wireless access (BWA) alternative to cable modem service, telephone company Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) or T1/E1 service.

Fixed WiMAX


Figure 2 Fixed WiMAX offers cost effective point to point and point to multi-point solutions

What makes WiMAX so exciting is the broad range of applications it makes possible but not limited to broadband internet access, T1/E1 substitute for businesses, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) as telephone company substitute, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) as cable TV substitute, backhaul for Wi-Fi hotspots and cell phone towers, mobile telephone service, mobile data TV, mobile emergency response services, wireless backhaul as substitute for fiber optic cable.

WiMAX provides fixed, portable or mobile non-line-of sight service from a base station to a subscriber station, also known as customer premise equipment (CPE). Some goals for WiMAX include a radius of service coverage of 6 miles from a WiMAX base station for point-to-multipoint, non-line-of-sight (see following pages for illustrations and definitions) service. This service should deliver approximately 40 megabits per second (Mbps) for fixed and portable access applications. That WiMAX cell site should offer enough bandwidth to support hundreds of businesses with T1 speeds and thousands of residential customers with the equivalent of DSL services from one base station.

Mobile WiMAX


Figure 3 Mobile WiMAX allows any telecommunications to go mobile

Mobile WiMAX takes the fixed wireless application a step further and enables cell phone-like applications on a much larger scale. For example, mobile WiMAX enables streaming video to be broadcast from a speeding police or other emergency vehicle at over 70 MPH. It potentially replaces cell phones and mobile data offerings from cell phone operators such as EvDo, EvDv and HSDPA. In addition to being the final leg in a quadruple play, it offers superior building penetration and improved security measures over fixed WiMAX. Mobile WiMAX will be very valuable for emerging services such as mobile TV and gaming.

WiMAX is not Wi-Fi


Figure 4 Where Wi-Fi covers an office or coffee shop, WiMAX covers a city

One of the most often heard descriptions of WiMAX in the press is that it is "Wi-Fi on steroids". In truth, it is considerably more than that. Not only does WiMAX offer exponentially greater range and throughput than Wi-Fi (technically speaking 802.11b, although new variants of 802.11 offer substantial improvements over the "b" variant of 802.11), it also offers carrier grade quality of service (QoS) and security. Wi-Fi has been notorious for its lack of security. The "b" variant of 802.11 offered no prioritization of traffic making it less than ideal for voice or video. The limited range and throughput of Wi-Fi means that a Wi-Fi service provider must deploy multiple access points in order to cover the same area and service the same number of customers as one WiMAX base station (note the differences in nomenclature). The IEEE 802.11 Working group has since approved upgrades for 802.11 security and QoS.

Converged voice and data easy as FM radio?


Figure 5 With WiMAX, converged voice and data can be as easy as FM radio

Visualize turning on an FM radio in your office. You receive information (news, weather, sports) from that service (the FM radio station) and hardware (the FM radio with attached antenna). WiMAX can be described as being somewhat similar. In place of a radio station there is a base station (radio and antenna) that transmits information (internet access, VoIP, IPTV) and the subscriber has a WiMAX CPE that receives the services. The major difference is that with WiMAX the service is two-way or interactive.



Figure 6 WiMAX indoor CPE goes near the window and attaches to the customer's network

courtesy: wimax.com