Enforcement and Inspection Directorate

The Enforcement and Inspection Directorate has been playing an important and meaningful role in maintaining discipline and good governance in the telecommunications sector of Bangladesh. The fields are as follows:

  • Prevent VoIP activities, including illegal call terminations,
  • Identifying unauthorized telecommunication service providers installation and terminating their activities,
  • Terminating and monitoring the Illegal SIM / RIM registration,
  • Controlling wireless types of equipment including illegal mobile phones,
  • Impose penalties for irregular activities to provide telecommunication services, etc.

As per the approved organogram, Enforcement and Inspection as a directorate is conducted directly under the supervision of the Chairman of BTRC. In the absence or with the approval of the Chairman, Regular functions of the Directorate are conducted through Director General (E&O). According to the approved organogram, total manpower of this directorate is 38.

The main functions of the E&I Directorate:

  • To take various steps to inspect, examine and identify the telecommunication infrastructure to prevent illegal telecommunication activities within Bangladesh;
  • Conduct expeditions with effective measures to restrain illegally terminated international calls through the use of technology ;
  • Inspection of telecommunication operators telecom installation and analysis of various information submitted;
  • Ensuring that mobile operators are using the self-regulation system properly to prevent illegal VoIP;
  • Overseeing the SIM Box Detection System installed in BTRC;
  • Conduct operations to seize unauthorized telecommunication services / mobile sets and take effective measures to stop their activities;
  • Taking necessary steps to prevent RIM / SIM registration process with incorrect/ Defective/ False/ Wrong information;
  • Take action to restrict/terminate the activities of any organization/person if he does not pay its revenue to BTRC or illegally performs telecom activities;
  • To work collaboratively, providing technical assistance to the law enforcing agencies to prevent illegal telecommunication activities.
  • To monitor whether telecom operators are violating Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulation Act 2001 (Amendment 2010) and take appropriate action;
  • Observe and confirm whether the telecom operators comply with the licensing terms and the directives issued from BTRC from time to time;
  • Take necessary steps to prevent illegal VoIP, including international call terminations on illegal routes and provide legal and technical assistance to other law enforcement agencies when needed;
  • To assist in all kinds of work related to the committee constituted by the Commission called “Telecommunication Establishment, Inspection, Inspection, Identification and Investigation Committee”;
  • To take legal action against any person/organization providing illegal telecommunication services.
  • Regularly collect and verify reports from telecom operators regarding their activities;
  • To mediate in the settlement of disputes arising between telecom operators on telecom services;    

 

The activities carried out by the E&I Directorate can be divided into four main parts:

(1) Actions to prevent illegal call termination:

To prevent illegal call termination, BTRC has constituted a high-powered monitoring committee to oversee the control of illegal activities in the telecom sector. Nominated officials of law enforcement agencies including BTRC are directly involved in this committee. Steps are being taken in four main ways to prevent illegal call termination. The methods are as follows:

(a) Conducting operations to detect illegal VoIP installations:

In collaboration with law enforcement agencies, BTRC has been conducting regular operations to identify illegal VoIP technology and installation operators. Earlier, under a contract executed by BTRC with a US company, illegal VoIP technology users and installations were identified through Geo-Location Finder in five stages, the contract has now expired. In addition to the technical assistance, the operation is being conducted based on information obtained from various sources. Large quantities of channel boxes, gateways, servers and SIMs registered with false/incorrect information, computers and other accessories including the software used in call termination were seized through those operations. Only SIM cards from the seized goods are kept in the custody of BTRC for a period of time for necessary inspection, all the remaining seized equipment and the accused (if any) were immediately handed over to the nearest police station and a case was filed. After filing the case, the seized evidence is assigned in favour of the concerned investigating officer and the SIM cards from BTRC are returned to the investigating officer after the examination.

Figure: Image of illegal VoIP installation detection operation

There is also a provision to impose an administrative penalty by the commission on the SIM / RIM of the mobile operators used in illegal VoIP services.

(b) Through SIMBox Detection System (SBD):

SIMbox Detection System is a special type of system installed in BTRC comprising of all the mobile operators in Bangladesh which consist of many virtual circuits. In this virtual circuit, the illegal call termination path is detected by hitting the call in the on-call test basis method through physical and virtual SIM and thus the number involved is identified. The methods used in SIMbox detection systems are different in different countries of the world. Test Call Generation (TCG) method is currently being used in Bangladesh.

Figure: Image of some illegal VoIP deployments detected by SIMbox detection system

 

To discourage illegal SIMbox users, the Virtual Circuit has recently been increased in the SIMBox Detection System with the addition of Additional Hits (test calls) as per the BTRC guidelines. As a result, BTRC is playing an effective role in identifying more suspicious SIMs / RIMs. The immediate closure of all these identified SIMs / RIMs is supervised by the E&I Directorate.

(c) Through Self Regulatory Process (SRP):

Self Regulation Process(SRP) is a system in which a programming script with special logic set by BTRC is run by each mobile operator on a specific time in the CDR installed in his MSc. Each mobile operator repeatedly uses the same logics on its network at a certain time every day to identify the SIMs / RIMs used in illegal call termination. According to the BTRC Directives, After identification, every mobile operator has an obligation to Simultaneous shutdown of identified SIM/RIM and send a notification to BTRC through e-mail. The imposed logics are changed/amended from time to time by the Commission considering the situation.

(d) Through Self Regulations(SR) by operators:

Self-Regulation (SR) works like the Self-Regulation Process (SRP) method. Every two hours, the operator run the script by setting its logics in its network to identify the numbers used in the illegal VoIP. The logic verifies some of the information(Call Pattern, Parameter, IMEI Profiling) in the Call Details Record (CDR) of its network. When the operator is sure about the numbers identified through SR, he deactivates the number and informs BTRC via e-mail.

 

(2) Regular inspection (telecommunication installations/services/equipment): 

Inspectors working in E&I Directorate, BTRC are continuously inspecting the installations, services and equipment of various telecom service providers/licensees, and as a result, operators are becoming aware of the need to provide services through the proper use of their networks. As a result, the Commission can ensure that the licenses, guidelines and directives are being properly enforced and used properly. Also, inspections are carried out by inspectors at various legal/illegal telecom establishments/Installation based on correspondence reports, complaints of telecommunication service providers/recipients, information from various sources/informers. At present regular inspections are being carried out in the following cases:

(A) Operation against illegal ISP service providers:

Operations have been conducted based on complaints and cases have been filed including illegal disconnection after visiting the offices of illegal internet service providers. The total number of cases filed till 2020 is 14 whose trial is still ongoing. During Inspection, E&I Inspectors disconnected all Illegal connection they found, restricted their bandwidth and impose financial fines through commission and recovered the fine as well.

Figure: Illegal ISP installation.

 

(B) Operation against sale / marketing/distribution of illegal / unauthorized radio equipments:

To stop the marketing, sale and distribution of various wireless devices / mobile phone handsets/walkie-talkies/base repeaters and fixed wireless phones/modems which are imported by illegal/unauthorized persons/organizations, Inspectors from E&I directorate always conduct joint operations with the help of law enforcement agencies / RAB and mobile courts across the country.

(C) Operation against illegal telecommunication services:

The BTRC has been receiving allegations that unscrupulous individuals are operating illegal telecommunication services (websites and services with unethical and obscene content) by constructing telecommunication facilities similar to call centres/cyber cafes in different parts of the country.  To deal with such allegations, the E&I Directorate inspectors visit the spot and bring the culprit under the law by providing necessary technical assistance to the local law enforcement agencies. 

(D) Regular Inspection

Inspectors of the E&I directorate are continuing their regular visit in various installations of telecom licenses. To keep the quality of customer service it is being verified that no licensing entity may pay any tariff/service other than the conditions specified in the license and instructions by observing and inspecting them regularly.

(E) Necessary inspections to resolve the received complaints

Based on difficulties or complaints of the service provider/recipient in telecommunication services or related matters, information obtained from various source reports and various periodicals on telecommunication services, Inspectors of E&I Directorate conduct on-site operations within 3-5 working days. To settle the received complain, E&I Inspector inspects the said illegal activities, identifies the irregularities and file case if necessary. Besides, legal action including financial penalties is taken against ISP organizations who are found involved for providing illegal ISP services. The inspection also carried out on vendors who are involved in importing / selling / supplying wireless devices without the permission of BTRC and confiscation of radio devices (mobile phone handsets) including a financial fine on them.

(3) Settlement of disputes arising among internet service providers:

If there is a dispute arise among the internet service providers, and based on complaints received by the Commission in this regard, the inspectors of the E&I Directorate call a meeting (hearing) with the parties to resolve the dispute, Inspect the place of occurrence if necessary, and arranges for a negotiated settlement of disputes among them. This provides a clear idea to all parties about the deviation (if any) from the conditions mentioned in the Telecommunications Act 2001, license and instructions. In this case, the person or organization involved in this deviation is initially warned, If not resolved, legal action is taken against the violating organization.

(4) Providing Technical Support:

To take legal action against telecommunication related offences anywhere in the country, BTRC delegates its power to Law Enforcing Agencies [link: Power delegation to Police & RAB regarding Illegal Telecommunication Service]. According to that power, Law Enforcing Agencies took necessary action and ask for technical support/ opinion during their investigation/operation. In that case, E&I Inspectors provide necessary technical support/opinion to identify the types of telecom equipment/services.