The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has fined Nationwide ISP Aamra Networks Ltd and IIG licence holder Earth Telecommunication Ltd Tk5 lakh each for establishing overhead fibre transmission networks without using licensed National Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN) operators.
The penalties were imposed at a BTRC meeting on 29 June after an investigation found that the two operators had violated mandatory NTTN connectivity rules while providing connectivity to Speed Net, an upazila/thana-level ISP operating in Ashulia.
The regulator also decided to warn Race Online Ltd and Optimax Communication Ltd over separate violations involving Point of Presence (PoP) declaration and infrastructure-sharing requirements.
The investigation followed inspections of Speed Net’s registered office and network operations centre (NOC) on 25 August 2025 and 29 September.
BTRC found that Speed Net had established nine PoPs outside its licensed area, appointed 28 unlicensed resellers, failed to properly report PoP information through the Digital Infrastructure Sharing (DIS) platform and installed overhead fibre outside the approved framework.
The company was also found to have provided cable TV and internet services through the same cable at its NOC. BTRC had earlier decided to impose a Tk50,000 administrative fine on Speed Net and issue a warning.
BTRC found that Aamra Networks had installed an operational networking device at Speed Net’s NOC without declaring the location as a PoP through DIS.
Aamra said Speed Net maintained the optical-fibre core and that the fibre belonged to Aamra, originating from its BTRC-approved Government Market PoP.
However, the regulator found that Aamra had installed around 5.35 kilometres of overhead fibre from its Government Market PoP to Speed Net’s NOC without an NTTN connection.
The company later took corrective measures, but BTRC concluded that the arrangement violated Clause 3.01 of the NTTN Guideline and Clause 4.3 of the ISP Guideline.
The commission imposed a Tk5 lakh fine on Aamra and warned it over related compliance failures involving PoP reporting and infrastructure-sharing documentation.
BTRC found that Earth Telecommunication had installed a Cisco Nexus 3034-X networking device at Speed Net’s NOC without prior approval for the PoP.
Earth said it had signed an infrastructure-sharing agreement with Speed Net in December 2023, but the required approval was not obtained due to the responsible official’s failure.
The regulator found that Earth had also established an overhead optical-fibre transmission network from Speed Net’s NOC towards Jamgora and Savar PoPs without using an NTTN operator, violating Clause 3.01 of the NTTN Guideline.
Earth said it had sought fibre-core connectivity from NTTN operators but could not obtain connections at the relevant locations. It installed its own fibre temporarily to avoid service disruption and later moved Speed Net under Fiber@Home, an NTTN operator.
BTRC said Earth did not submit evidence supporting its claim that NTTN connectivity was unavailable and also failed to submit its infrastructure-sharing agreement within the required 15-day period.
The commission imposed a Tk5 lakh fine on Earth.
Race Online warned, Optimax case reviewed
Race Online was found to have installed a networking device at Speed Net’s NOC without properly declaring the site as a PoP through DIS.
The company said the failure to declare the PoP after signing an infrastructure-sharing agreement with Speed Net in 2023 was an administrative error. It later completed the declaration process and submitted the agreement.
BTRC issued a warning instead of imposing a penalty.
Optimax Communication was found to have installed a networking device at Speed Net’s NOC without timely DIS notification and failed to submit its infrastructure-sharing agreement within the required period.
The regulator also found that Optimax had established an overhead optical-fibre transmission network between its Uttara and Ashulia PoPs without an NTTN connection.
Optimax said the network was installed under the government’s Establishing Digital Connectivity (EDC) project to provide internet services to schools, colleges, land offices and health centres. It said NTTN connectivity was unavailable at the time and the fibre was installed to meet the project deadline.
The company later informed BTRC that the connection had been shifted to an NTTN network.
BTRC decided to further investigate the matter, including whether any ICT Division instruction related to the EDC project had relevance to the case.
