The telecom regulator yesterday asked the subscribers of Citycell to switch to any other operator by August 16 as it has decided to cancel spectrum of the country's oldest mobile phone operator.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission in a public notice said it has taken the decision as Citycell failed to pay Tk 477.51 crore in dues despite several reminders.

The operator will also lose the permission to use radio equipment.

The number of Citycell subscribers fell sharply following the biometric SIM registration process and stood at 7.6 lakh as of June. Most of the connections were for using data through modems.

BTRC Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood said: “As per rules, we are bound to take such a decision.”

The dues include spectrum renewal fee at Tk 229 crore, annual licence fee Tk 10 crore, annual spectrum fee Tk 27.14 crore, VAT Tk 39.92 crore and late fee at Tk 135 crore, according to the notice.

Shamim Ahmed, who had been using a Citycell connection for nine years, said he has already quit the operator due to poor quality of services.

“I had to leave Citycell as its network coverage was weak. It had no coverage in many places,” he said.

However, the mobile operator said they have no information about the public notice.

“We haven't received any letter from BTRC about it. That's why we have no official comment on it,” said Mehboob Chowdhury, chief executive officer of Citycell.

BTRC in April filed a case against the operator to realise the dues.

Citycell started its operations in 1993, though its licence was awarded in 1989.

Singapore's SingTel owns 44.54 percent shares in Citycell, Pacific Motors 37.95 percent and Far East Telecom 17.51 percent.

Shareholders had been trying for the last few years to sell the licence of the operator but did not find any interested party.