GrameenPhone has introduced a two-way International Roaming facility.

The company is the first telecom operator In Bangladesh to provide its subscribers with the facility, says a press release.

This will enable GP subscribers to use their mobile telephones in foreign countries where GrameenPhone has a partner network.

Presently. GrameenPhone has Roaming Agreements with 36 mobile telephone operators in foreign countries. Of them. 12 are on the active roaming list, seven with both-way and five with one-way roaming facility.

Under the both-Way International Roaming facility, GP subscribers can use their mobile telephones in the country where GrameenPhone's partner network exists while subscribers of the partner network can also use their mobile phone's while they are in

Under the one-way International Roaming facility, subscribers of GP s partner networks can use their mobile telephones while they are in Bangladesh.

GrameenPhone has recently completed both-way International Roaming arrangements, as a first step, with SingTel Mobile of Singapore. Mobile One of Singapore. Tele Danmark of Denmark. Telenor Mobil of Norway. Hutchison Telecom Co of Hong Kong. Vodafone Ltd of the United Kingdom and Swisscom of Switzerland.

GrameenPhone is making allout qfforts to bring in more GSM operators under this scheme gradually.

Currently. GrambenPhone has one-way International Roaming arrangements with Hong Kong Telecom of Hong Kong. Chunghwa Telecom of Taiwan. Cellnet of the United Kingdom, Modi Telstra of Calcutta. India and Telia Mobile AB of Sweden.

Under the International Roaming feature. GrameenPhone subscribers visiting foreign countries where GP has a partner network will be able to make and receive calls using the same.GP numbers that they . have today. This would be a totally automatic system; there is nothing that the subscribers need to do except Carrying their> hkiidset along with them when they travel and turn on the rro-bile phone to select that particular operator with whom GP has a roaming agreement. All billing matters will be settled In Bangladesh, thus the subscribers need not have any contact with the foreign oper ators.

GP subscribers would need to sign a separate agreement to avail this feature and should possess an international credit card Issued in Bangladesh. Foreign currency regulations of Bangladesh Bank would apply. For foreign nationals who are GP subscribers, the arrangement would be different.