Grameenphone to roll out 4G services ‘soon’, encourages customers to convert SIM

Having acquired necessary spectrum at an auction, mobile telecom operator Grameenphone wants to start providing the fourth generation or 4G services ‘shortly’.

Speaking at a media conference at a hotel in the capital after the auction at the Dhaka Club on Tuesday, Grameenphone CEO Michael Foley called the facilitation of the auction “a big step by the government towards the implementation of its Digital Bangladesh plan”.

“We hope it will also pave the way for a successful 4G rollout and ensure business viability by adopting rational policies.”

Foley said initially the services would be launched in Dhaka. 

He thanked the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission or BTRC, the telecom ministry, and the government for successfully concluding the spectrum auction.

He sought cooperation in rolling out a quality 4G network around the country.

Grameenphone later said in a release it has modernised its network, enabling ‘future-forward technology’ that allows its customers to experience buffer-free HD video and live TV streaming, crystal-clear video calling, and super-fast downloads on its network.

“Customers are encouraged to convert their existing 3G SIMs to 4G-enabled SIMs to get the best of GP’s modern network,” the release said.

CEO Foley said at the media briefing, “This additional spectrum combined with our technology-neutral spectrum has placed Grameenphone on a firm footing to provide the best 4G experience on the most modern network in the country.”

“…we are not going to compromise on customer experience when we launch 4G,” he added.

BTRC Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood said at the auction the official documents for 4G licences and the allocated frequencies will be handed over to the operators on Feb 20.