Internet service to be affected due to fuel shortage

Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association has warned that a prolonged shortage of gas and electricity will result in disruption of internet services and IT infrastructure all around the country.

This warning was made by the association President Mohiuddin Ahmed in a press statement released (August 31) Monday.

According to the President, internet service has become an integral part of life for education, healthcare, banking, business, government services and employment. However, the IT sector relies upon regular electricity and fuel services.

If there is a prolonged shortage of electricity and fuel, the mobile network, broadband, data centre, IIGs, ISPs and mobile towers would be in danger. Even if there are backup batteries and generators, they will not work in the case of prolonged power cuts as generators require diesel.

Mohiuddin mentioned that frequent power cuts have already been disturbing the internet services in some regions. The disturbance can affect mobile towers, optical fiber, local networks and backhauls, resulting in slow internet services.
The demands made by the association include the following:

1. Regular supply of electricity to internet and telecommunications infrastructure.
2. Checking the capacity of backup power supplies at mobile towers, IIGs, ISPs, data centres and other critical facilities.
3. Use of more solar and other renewable energy sources in the telecom sector.
4. Cutting down on the use of diesel generators and other fuel-based backup powers.
5. Implementation of a joint "Telecommunications and Internet Emergency Infrastructure Protection Plan" with the help of BTRC, power and energy authorities and the telecom operators.
6. Giving customers advance information about the places that might suffer due to internet disturbance.
7. Considering the inconvenience and loss suffered by consumers due to internet disturbance due to the fuel crisis.

Mohiuddin said that in case of continued energy crisis, Bangladesh might also have a "digital crisis" along with the power crisis.