Overhead cables to dangle, for now
Dhaka, Nov 27 (bdnews24.com)—Overhead cables used for internet services is not going to be removed anytime soon as authorities are missing the Tuesday deadline because of unfinished construction of underground cable ducts.
The Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) had told the ISPs and cable operators to remove their cables from its electricity poles from Uttara to Shahbagh by Oct 31. The deadline was extended by a month as constructions of the underground cable ducts were not complete.
The cables were to be brought down in two phases—first from Uttara to Shahbagh and then from Shahbagh to Gulshan via Motijheel and Moghbazaar. Deadline for both phases ends on Tuesday.
One of the agencies responsible for building underground ducts for laying these cables, however, says that they are ready for the job. The other one says it is only ready for the first phase.
In 2009, two private entities, Fiber At Home and Summit Communications were awarded Nationwide Telecommunications Transmission Network (NTTN) licences to build, operate and maintain such networks.
“We have laid about 200 km of underground duct in the capital and we are ready to cater for the ISPs along with all major cable TV operators,” Moynul Haque Siddiqui, managing director of Fiber At Home, told a press conference Saturday.
According to him, already over 50 internet service providers (ISPs), WiMax and mobile operators along with some cable TV operators and corporate offices are connected to their online casino underground cable system.
“Our underground duct presently covers all the areas of the two phases.”
But, Summit Communications needs some time for the second phase even though it is all set for the Uttara-Shabagh stretch, Arif Al Islam, the top official of Summit Communications Ltd (SCL), told bdnews24.com on Saturday.
Summit will need another month to complete the work, added the managing director of SCL.
He was echoed by the ISP Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB).
“We are hopeful about bringing down overhead cables from Uttara to Shahbagh, but for the rest we need more time…at least a month,” Abdul Hakim, general secretary of ISPAB, told bdnews24.com.
The ISP trade body leader also said they would ask for an extension of the deadline by a month.
“In fact, we will need a month after Summit completes its work.”
An inter-ministry meeting on Nov 1 decided to extend the deadline to December this year, according to an official of the power ministry.
“It has been agreed that the deadline would extended and also that it would be the final one,” the official told bdnews24.com, preferring anonymity.
The meeting also decided to conduct a drive against dangling cables after the deadline ends in December, he added.
According to unofficial estimates, about 6 cable operators and 92 ISPs are providing services through overhead cables running through electricity poles.
Due to the extra load on the poles, the high-voltage electricity supply cables are at risk of snapping now and then, creating disruption in supply as well risking lives of many.
