The Tele Consumers Association of Bangladesh (TCAB) has alleged that the country’s mobile network operators are slyly charging ordinary customers by trapping them through various enticing internet packages.
Convener of Tele Consumers Association of Bangladesh (TCAB) Md Murshidul Hoque made the allegation in a press release sent to the media on Sunday.
He said that TCAB has reviewed the internet packages of mobile network operators and found that they are offering different internet packages for certain platforms.
For instance, Grameenphone - G5, Hoichoi, Bioscope, Skype, Zoom, Duo, Social Pack, YouTube, TikTok, GP Music; Banglalink- Toffee app, Facebook, Imo, TokTok, YouTube, Student Pack; Robi- Social, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Zoom, Teams, Google Classroom, Skype, Emo; Teletalk - only for various apps and Airtel - likee, Facebook Messenger, Google Classroom, etc.
The operators are selling internet packages on the condition of just browsing these apps. In this way, many customers are falling into the trap of tempting offers without knowing the details of the packages but the internet bought under these packages cannot be used except these specific apps. As a result, the packages expire while remaining largely unused.
In most cases, customers have to pay for the entire package without using it fully.
Murshidul Haque said that the operators are selling 4G data packages but the customers are not getting the 4G network. Many customers are buying 4G data even though their handsets are not 4G. Although 4G handsets are available, 4G networks are not available in rural areas.
Moreover, even in urban areas, the people do not get 4G network inside many homes.
Many customers are paying the full amount of the package without using it.
The TCAB convener said the operators were selling various packages to customers in the name of bundle offer, combining internet, talk time and SMS. In most cases, the validity of the packages is comparatively much less than the amount of data, minutes and SMS. As a result, most of the customers are not being able to use their full bundle offer within the period of 3, 7, 15 or 30 days.
However, the operators are stealing hundreds of millions of Tk by selling the expired data to the customers again.
On behalf of TCAB, he urged the Ministry of Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology and the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to take appropriate steps to protect the interests of consumers.
