Bangladesh earns almost Tk 53bn in revenue from 4G spectrum auction

Bangladesh has raised Tk 52.89 billion in revenue from 4G frequency allocation and tech neutrality fees from three mobile operators.

On Tuesday, the country’s telecoms regulator held an auction for allocating new frequencies.

Operators Grameenphone and Banglalink paid Tk 38.44 billion for new frequencies, said Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission or BTRC.

Speaking to the media after the auction, BTRC Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood said they have earned another Tk 14.45 billion as tech neutrality fees from three operators: GP, Banglalink and Robi.

Four telcos had expressed their interest to bid for 4G spectrum, but only two participated in Tuesday’s auction.

Bangladesh’s second largest operator Robi has only gone for tech neutrality, which means it will use the existing frequencies to offer 4G services.

It’s almost certain that the country’s oldest mobile phone service provider, City Cell, now out of operation, will not return to business as it did not take part in the bid.

State-owned Teletalk has still the option to enter the 4G market as the deadline for tech neutrality will end on Feb 20.

On Tuesday, the BTRC auctioned four blocks of 1,800 megahertz band and five blocks of 2,100 MHz band.

GP paid Tk 12.84 billion for 5 MHz frequency of the 1,800 MHz band.

Grameenphone CEO Michael Foley along with other officials posing for the media on the 4G track. Foley announced that the company was ready to launch 4G as soon as the license handover and was committed to provide best customer experience on a new modernised network. Photo: GP handout

Banglalink acquired a total of 10.6 MHz frequency of the 1,800 MHz and 2,100 MHz band for Tk 25.58 billion.

BTRC chief Mahmood said the official documents for 4G licences and the allocated frequencies will be handed over to the operators on Feb 20