Power-emergency generator-dependent mobile network, fuel demand of 100,000 liters per day

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The ongoing load shedding and power crisis in the country is affecting the mobile network infrastructure. Network operation is now almost entirely generator-dependent due to the erratic supply of the electricity grid. The daily fuel demand has increased to about one lakh litres.

According to the information of mobile operators, about 52 thousand 425 liters of diesel and 19 thousand 859 liters of octane are used daily to keep the mobile base transceiver station (BTS) running. Apart from this, another 27 thousand 196 liters of diesel is required to run the data center and switching infrastructure. However, due to the energy crisis that started after the Iran war, operators fear that if they do not get the necessary fuel, the effect will quickly spread to the mobile network.

Analysis of the data provided by the mobile operators showed that the data centers located in different parts of the country have a daily demand of about 4 megawatts of electricity. 500 to 600 liters of fuel are needed every hour to keep these centers running when there is no electricity.

According to the mobile operator authorities, an average of 27 thousand 196 liters of diesel is being used daily in the data centers of Grameenphone, Robi and Banglalink. Among them 11 thousand 184 liters of Grameenphone, 9 thousand 732 liters of Robi and 8 thousand 200 liters of Banglalink.

The latest data of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) says that the number of mobile phone subscribers in the country is more than 185 million. Operators fear that further disruptions in power and fuel supply will weaken the network first in rural and remote areas. Then there may be risks like call drop, data slowdown and partial network downtime in urban areas as well. There is also the risk of complete grid blackouts in certain areas if generators cannot be kept running for long periods of time.

The Secretary General of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), the organization of mobile operators, Lt. Col. (retd.) Mohammad Zulfikar told Prothom Alo, “If the data centers of mobile operators are shut down or interrupted due to power or energy supply, the effect can spread very quickly and widely throughout the network. Operators have backups. But there is doubt about how much backup will be possible in the situation that has arisen. Remember, the data center is the brain of the operator — its shutdown means the entire network is down.’

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In this situation, Amtob sent an urgent letter to BTRC on Saturday. According to the letter, there is continuous load shedding for an average of five to eight hours per day in many areas of the country during the storm. Due to this, operators have become completely dependent on generators. If the power and energy crisis continues, the country’s mobile network system may be at risk of disaster.

Referring to the issue of fuel shortage as well as the complexity of the transportation system, the letter also said that due to the obstruction of law and order forces and lack of direct supply from depots during the transport of fuel to Antjela, the fuel stock at many important telecom sites has been severely reduced.

Amtob also said in the letter that a major network disruption would affect emergency ambulance and fire service communications, banking and mobile financial services, government digital operations and law enforcement coordination.

Amtob recommended four urgent steps in the letter. These are — ensuring uninterrupted power supply to core network and data centers, priority power-connection at BTS sites, direct supply of fuel to operators at designated points and instructions not to disrupt telecom fuel transport.

Chairman of BTRC Major General (Retd.) Emdad Ul Bari told Prothom Alo that telecommunication is an essential service. So that it is not disrupted in any way, coordination is being done with the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Ministry of Information and Communication Technology and Ministry of Power and Energy. However, it will be ensured that there is no misuse in the name of priority.