SPOTLIGHT: VoIP Costs Bangladesh Government Money

Illegal VoIP calls are costing the Bangladesh government millions of dollars per year, and the country's Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BRTC) is trying to find ways to reduce international call termination through unlicensed sources. On average, an illegal VoIP call is costing the country about 3 cents per call, with 16 million calls a day being handled through VoIP.  If all the VoIP calls are illegal, it translates to roughly $480,000 a day and potentially $175 million a year in lost revenue. While government regulators are cracking down on illegal VoIP by looking to shut down satellite downlinks, they are also looking to drive official phone call charges down to a more competitive 4 cents profit per call.

For more:
- The Daily Star Reports on Bangladesh VoIP losses [1]

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