Shamim Ahamed
Senior Correspondent
Dhaka, Nov 9 (bdnews24.com)—Teletalk is set to offer mobile handset with 3G' SIM from February next year to make third-generation services popular.
The state-owned mobile phone operator's Managing Director Mujibur Rahman told bdnews24.com on Friday that they would start offering smart phones with 3G SIMs for the subscribers in the capital Dhaka.
The official said they will provide 3G-enabled handsets at a price 'cheaper' than those in the market.
Rahman said they also planned to provide instalment facilities for the smart phone with the 3G SIM and initially supplied 100,000 3G SIMs in the market.
They have sold more than 30,000 3G SIM after launching the mobile broadband technology. Bangladesh entered 3G mobile communication technology on Oct 14 when the Prime Minister officially launched the service.
But the service is yet to be a hit with the customers, many of whom said they are frustrated by the fact that they have to buy costly 3G smart phones.
But MD Rahman said the 3G connection with handset will eventually be popular.
Teletalk General Manager (Marketing) Habibur Rahman told bdnews24.com that 3G technology was getting steadily accepted by the subscribers. The sale of 3G SIMs was currently on the rise in comparison with the number sold initially.
Unlike 2G networking, 3G allows for simultaneous transmission of voice and data due to its increased bandwidth. It provides services such as mobile TV, video on demand, video call conferencing, telemedicine, location-based services and GPS.
Initially 3G users can watch five television channels on their cell phone. , namely Bangladesh Television (BTV), Shomoy Television, RTV, MyTV and GTV.
Teletalk started selling their 3G network technology in 1,500 retail points of Teletalk and eight special customer care centres in the city from mid-October. It will sell 400,000 3G-enabled SIMs for capital Dhaka initially.
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