BTCL to incorporate new features to its calling app 'Alaap'

In the wake of robust use of OTT apps for voice, messaging and other services, state-owned Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) has planned to reshape its dialer "Alaap" application in the New Year 2025 to attract more users at home and abroad.

To this end, BTCL has moved up to incorporate new features like SMS, hosted IP telephone, voice broadcast, bulk SMS, cloud storage, wallet services, bill payment, metro rail ticket etc alongside opening a dedicated customer care centre for Alaap users. 

BTCL Managing Director Md Anwar Hossain told BSS that they have planned to amplify the use of Alaap in every sphere of society. 

"We will boost up our marketing activities for Alaap, incorporating new features with it," he added.

Anwar Hossain said they are also working to cut tariffs to provide affordable call rates and SMS packages to the customers.

He said they are expecting to incorporate the new features of Alaap within April of the New Year, 2025.

The state-owned landphone operator launched the over-the-top (OTT) calling application Alaap in March 2021 with facilities for making calls to any mobile or landphone through a unique subscriber's number.  

As WhatsApp, Telegram, Imo like apps were still dominating the Bangladeshi market with instant messaging and free calls over the internet as well as video calls, the BTCL rolled out its Bangladeshi version "Alaap" to reduce the dependence on foreign apps as well as secure the personal data of local people. 

Now, talking and chatting from "Alaap" to "Alaap" using the internet is free. But when it comes to making phone calls to a subscriber of any mobile or landline operator who is not using Alaap, the caller will have to pay the bills, at the same time as having paid for internet connectivity. Alaap user has to pay Taka 0.35 for off-net call. 

However, BTCL officials involved with the operation of Alaap, wishing not to be named, told BSS that Alaap has been suffering from the crisis of number allocation, as the telecom regulator, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), so far allotted a total of 20 lakh unique number in two phases, which is already on the brink of getting finished. 

They said Alaap has now total subscribers of over 19 lakh of which 16.49 lakh users are verified through NID, while another 3.94 lakh users are in the queue to get verification. But, due to a shortage of numbers, BTCL can't allow more users although there is a good demand for it.

Now, Alaap has nearly 17 lakh active users, and on average, it registers over 7 lakh paid calls daily, while the number of free calls is 8,000 to 10,000 daily. 

The officials said that Alaap has so far earned a total revenue of Taka 32 crore since its inception. 

Any smartphone user can install the application from Google Play and use it like WhatsApp, Telegram, Imo or other OTT apps. If a person wants to get registered with Alaap, he or she will need an existing mobile phone number and a copy of NID card. Like WhatsApp and Telegram, customers can register while sitting in their homes. At the end of the process, the BTCL will provide new customers with BTCL's new virtual phone numbers.