Peoples Telecommunication & Information Services Ltd. (PeoplesTel) is the successor company of Bangladesh Rural Telecom Authority (BRTA) Pvt Ltd. BRTA started its operation in 1989 with the responsibility to provide digital communication in 203 rural Thanas (smallest administrative area of Bangladesh) throughout North, North-East and North-West region of the country with the agreement with Bangladesh Government, Represented by Bangladesh Telegraph & Telephone Board (BTTB), the Government owned telephone company. Later this agreement was revised in 1993 and BRTA was given the responsibility for 199 Thanas. BRTA is the first private PSTN operator in Bangladesh. In fact it has paved the way for telecom privatisation in Bangladesh.