No headway in taking Dhaka's internet, satellite TV overhead cables underground

Despite repeated efforts by the Power Division, no progress has been made in bringing the distressing overhead internet and satellite TV cables underground although power utilities are implementing their project in this regard.

It has even not been possible to make the operators of internet and satellite TV cables agree to join the ongoing underground cabling projects of the power utility bodies.

According to official sources, Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC) has been implementing its first project in the Dhanmondi area to take its all overhead transmission lines underground.

"But despite repeated calls by the DPDC, no internet or TV cable operator agreed to join the project. They were even offered free of cost to join the scheme. But no response was received,"  a top official of the Power Division told UNB.

In such a frustrating situation, recently the Power Division reconstituted its previous committee and also convened a meeting to find a solution to it. But finally, the meeting was not held for unknown reasons.

Member secretary of the reconstituted committee and director of the Power Cell Md. Salim Ullah Khan informed that the power Division's efforts will continue.

"But the other departments and agencies are not interested in cooperating with the Power Division's efforts in this regard," he told UNB.

Sources at the Power Division blamed the Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN) and internet service providers (ISPs) for the horrible situation of the overhead cables.

After a number of meetings, the previous committee of the Power Division found it difficult to address the problem without their cooperation.

According to its report submitted to Power Division, Summit Communications Limited (SCL) and Fiber@Home (FAH) have been working as NTTN in the city and they laid underground cables for operating their main internet network in the city while some 1734 legal and some 5,000 illegal internet service providing (ISP) companies have been operating as local ones to provide internet connections to homes and offices through overhead cables.

As per the system, the ISPs are supposed to take connections from SCL and FAH to take internet service to homes and offices from the main network. Recently, Bahon Limited, another NTTN company, also joined the network.  

But NTTN companies alleged that the ISPs are not taking connections from Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) or Access Point (AP) installed by NTTN as it will cost them financially, says the report.

On the other hand, the report reveals, the IPS companies alleged that they do not prefer taking connections from LDP or AP as they do not get required and instant solutions from the NTTN companies if any problem takes place in any internet service connection.

Besides, the NTTN are charging excessively in providing connections to the ISP companies from their LDP and AP, the report mentions quoting the ISP companies.      

Under the circumstances, the ISP companies are hanging overhead cables indiscriminately and giving connections to homes and offices without following any rule or regulation, the report says, adding that only the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) can step in and resolve the conflict.

Finally, the committee adopted an 11-point recommendation to have a solution and take all overhead cables underground through coordination with electricity distribution companies —DPDC and Desco.

The committee found that the haphazardly hanged internet, security and satellite  TV cables are not only posing a great threat to the power distribution system, but also creating a major obstacle to the government's move for the beautification of the capital.

Rashed Amin Biduyt, an official of the Bahon Limited, said they are not joining the DPDC underground cabling project due to technical reasons as it will not fulfill its requirements to facilitate connections to ISPN.

"But we're laying our own cables underground with the permission of the South City Corporation," he said.