Setting a fixed floor price for data, decreasing the number of packages and providing flexible plans that carry forward are priority demands of mobile internet users in Bangladesh, according to a survey.

The survey, conducted by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), found that 54.9 per cent of participants want mobile operators to provide a maximum of 40 to 45 data plans, down from 95 packages at present.

The remaining 23.2 per cent and 14 per cent said the number of packages should be around 71 to 85 and 51 to 60 respectively.

Brigadier General Md Nasim Parvez, director general of the systems and services division of the BTRC, presented the results of the online survey at a view exchange meeting with mobile data customers at the BTRC office in Dhaka yesterday.

The BTRC hosted the meeting with mobile internet users to get their opinion about the BTRC's initiative of fixing logical prices for mobile internet as well as bringing down the number of packages.

The unlimited data service does not actually protect the interests of the customer, rather quality telecommunication service needs to be ensured.

— Abu Saeed Khan A senior policy fellow at LIRNEasia

Among the 549 participants, 49.5 per cent were students, 29.1 per cent were employees, 9.5 per cent were businessmen, and 6 per cent were from other professions.

About 87.8 per cent of respondents said that if they purchase any package within the validity period of another package, unused data should be added to the new plan.

Currently, data only gets carried forward if a customer purchases a similar data package before the initial one expires.

During the view exchange meeting, mobile internet users also urged for better quality services.

Abu Saeed Khan, a senior policy fellow at LIRNEasia, said the unlimited data service does not actually protect the interests of the customer, rather quality telecommunication service needs to be ensured.

There is a need to move away from price fixing in the telecom sector and address inconsistencies in supply lines, he added.

He also said the number of packages should be decided by the operators themselves but as a regulator, the BTRC should aim to ensure that customers are not cheated in any way.

Shahed Alam, head of regulatory affairs at Robi Axiata, said mobile network operators design their packages as per the demand of customers and that is why it sometimes seems to be too much.

So, the number of packages is not important, rather ensuring more options for customers is important, he added.

Alam went on to say that if a customer buys a data package of Tk 100, out of which Tk 54 goes to the government coffer, Tk 22-28 has to be paid to various licensees related to the service and the remaining Tk 22 remains with the operator.

Md Mohiuddin Ahmed, vice chairman of the BTRC, said the commission would take a rational decision in this regard after thoroughly reviewing customers' opinions.