Wireless Federation

BTRC announces national 3G mobile licence auction in June 2012 (Bangladesh)

On 11.29.11, In Mobile, By Editor

The Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has reportedly announced a national 3G UMTS mobile licence auction to be held in June 2012. According to reports, Zia Ahmed, Head of BTRC has said that they have shortlisted the Indian wing of UK-based PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PwCIL) and US-based Nera Economic Consulting, as consultants for conducting the auction. He added that 3G licence bids would be accepted from both domestic as well as overseas bidders. Further, in the event that that a new entrant would win a 3G concession, the BTRC would also consider its application for a 2G licence.

As per sources, the state-owned mobile operator Teletalk will be allowed to launch its 3G services based on the W-CDMA/HSPA network technology on 26 March 2012 for an exclusive period of six months ending in September 2012. However, reports reveal that while Teletalk will not be required to compete in the June auction, it will need to pay a cost for the commercial spectrum which would be equal to the highest bid. The mobile operators expected to bid in the auction include GrameenPhone, Robi, Banglalink and Airtel.

Further, reports suggest that Teletalk has said that it will have an initial capacity for 1.7 million users which it aims to increase significantly to around three million users by March 2012. Mujibur Rahman, Managing Director, Teletalk, is hopeful that that the six-month 3G exclusivity period will help generate interest amongst the users, increasing their subscriber base, as the operators participating in the 3G auction in June will not be permitted to launch their services before September.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • Airtel • Bangladesh • Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) • Banglalink • GrameenPhone • India • Robi • Teletalk

Teletalk to launch 3G services in March 2012 (Bangladesh)

On 09.21.11, In Mobile Operators, Mobile Technology, By Editor

Teletalk Bangladesh Limited, a public limited company, will reportedly launch its 3G services on 26 March 2012 according to telecommunications minister, Mr. Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju. He says that the 3G spectrum will be auctioned after six months of test-run by the operator.

According to reports, the minister has said that the third generation technology, popularly known as 3G, will make mobile telephony much more efficient with high-speed data transfer facilitating users to watch mobile TV, make video calls, use navigation equipment and access many other services.

As per sources, the minister hopes the company will be able to complete installation of necessary infrastructure by January to launch the 3G operations. He further notes that both foreign and local companies will be allowed to compete for 3G spectrum after the planned test-run in September next year. He added that the guidelines for wireless telecom spectrum auction would be finalised by 2012.

Filed under:Mobile Operators,Mobile Technology Tagged with: 3G • Bangladesh • Teletalk

Bangladesh ends February with 71.5 mn mobile subscribers

On 03.16.11, In Mobile, By Editor

The new figures from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) have revealed that the total number of mobile phone subscribers in Bangladesh grew to 71.51 million in February from 70.34 million in January.

Mobile operator GrameenPhone led the market with 31.14 million customers, up from 30.43 million a month earlier. Banglalink (Orascom Telecom Bangladesh) followed with 20.18 million customers, an increase from 20.04 million, while Robi (Axiata Bangladesh) ended February with 12.81 million customers, which grew from 12.63 million a month earlier.

Airtel Bangladesh saw its customer base grow to 4.37 million from 4.18 million, while Citycell’s (PBTL) subscriber base grew to 1.79 million from 1.86 million in the prior month. Teletalk’s subscriber base rose to 1.22 million from to 1.20 million in January.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Axiata Bangladesh • Bangladesh • Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission • Banglalink • BTRC • CityCell • GrameenPhone • Mobile • mobile phone subscribers • Orascom Telecom Bangladesh • PBTL • Robi • Teletalk

Bangladesh to launch 3G mobile phone in 3 months

On 11.09.10, In Mobile, By Editor

The Bangladeshi government has taken projects to introduce third generation (3G) technology in the country within three months, Post and Telecommunication Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju said on Sunday.

The minister announced this at a press conference and said that the process is underway to introduce the 3G mobile phone.

The spokesperson of the ministry Shefayet Hossain told Xinhua by phone on Sunday that under the project both mobile phone service and internet could be used with one single phone set.

He said quoted the minister as saying that the state-owned mobile operator Teletalk will roll out the services first followed by private operators.

The 3G network users will get the services at lower prices, he said.

The Post and Telecommunication Minister told the news conference that locally made laptop costing 10,000 taka to 15,000 taka will be available in the market within next six months after resolving certain legal complications.

He said the government has also undertaken projects to manufacture land telephone set, mobile phone set, mobile battery charger and electric digital meter (for power sector) and market those products under own initiative.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • Bangladesh • Mobile • Post and Telecommunication Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju • Shefayet Hossain • Teletalk

Teletalk plans to launch 3G service in Bangladesh

On 03.15.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The 3G services is planned to be launched by Bangladesh’ state-owned communications firm TeleTalk in the country. Though the operator is very far behind when compared to the private operators due to funding shortages, strong foothold on the 3G market is still expected by the Bangladeshi firm.

Exim Bank of China and the operator are already under negotiations and the bank is going to finance the project which could cost up to USD 211 million. It was earlier announced by Bangladesh telecommunications ministry that it would hold a ‘beauty contest’ to award three licenses.

The guidelines are still being finalized by the regulator for 3G but no decision has yet been taken whether TeleTalk will get a license without participating in the beauty contest.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • ASIA • Bangladesh • China • operator • Teletalk

Bharti might go for another acquisition in Bangladesh

On 02.19.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: According to the latest rumor in the telecom world, Indian telco Bharti Airtel, in its bid to become an international group in the telecom sector might be looking at another acquisition in Bangladesh.

Last month, Bharti announced a deal to acquire 70% in Warid Telecom and earlier this week, Bharti group confirmed that it had entered exclusive talks with Kuwait’s telco, Zain, for its South African assets.

It has been revealed that Bharti could acquire a big player in Bangladesh this time. Grameenphone, Banglalink, Aktel, Warid, CityCell and Teletalk are the six telecom operators in Bangladesh.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Acquisition • Africa • Aktel • ASIA • Bangladesh • Banglalink • Bharti Airtel • GrameenPhone • India • Kuwait • South Africa • Teletalk • Warid Telecom • Zain

Teletalk receives USD211 million loan from China

On 01.16.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: USD211 million in loans will be provided to Bangladeshi state-run mobile operator Teletalk , by the China’s government to develop its future 3G network. Soft loan at an interest rate of 2% will be provided by China Exim Bank in the next two years with a repayment time of around 20 years.

In return, all the equipment for the 3G expansion by Teletalk would have to be imported from Chinese vendors, and CMEC would have the authority to select the suppliers.

Recently, Teletalk received a proposal from Vietnam’s Viettel for an investment of USD250 million, however, no further developments have yet been announced.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • ASIA • Bangladesh • China • operator • Teletalk • Vietnam • Viettel

Viettel eyes 60% stake in Teletalk (Bangladesh)

On 01.06.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Vietnamese telecom operator Viettel has shown interest in a tie up with Teletalk, a Bangladeshi state-owned mobile firm. According to Bangladeshi Telecommunications Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, Teletalk has received a proposal from Viettel for a partnership; however, the talk of the deal has not yet started.

Viettel is eyeing 60% stake in Teletalk for USD300 million while a government committee is scrutinizing the plan to give a â€˜positive nod’ to the sale of a majority stake to Viettel.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: ASIA • Bangladesh • operator • Teletalk • Vietnam • Viettel

GrameenPhone sees Bangladesh mobile users tripling

On 10.17.06, In Mobile, By Editor

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Bangladesh mobile operator GrameenPhone Ltd, majority-owned by Norway’s Telenor, expects the total number of mobile phone users in the country to triple by 2009, CEO Erik Aas told Reuters on Tuesday.

GrameenPhone, the top cell phone operator in the South Asian country, was founded in 1996 in close cooperation between Telenor and Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus.

“I believe at least, that within three years (Bangladesh) will triple the number of subscribers to 45-50 million users, or about 30 percent penetration,” Aas said in an interview on the sidelines of a conference in Singapore.

“Subscribers have doubled every year for the last five years, but I don’t estimate it to double continuously. Of course, (average revenues per users (ARPU) will also go up.”

With a mobile penetration rate of around 10 percent and a population of roughly 147 million population, Bangladesh remains one of Asia’s fastest growing cellular markets.

Asia-focused Telenor controls GrameenPhone with a 62 percent share, while Grameen Telecom, a not-for-profit company that works in close collaboration with microcredit pioneer Grameen Bank, owns the rest.

NEW COMPETITION

GrameenPhone has about 9.5 million users in Bangladesh, a 62 percent market share, but Aas says he sees that number settling to about 50-55 percent in the next year as a sixth operator enters the market.

“There’s going to be tough competition, but we also have a good advantage – we have the best network, and we have data services,” he said.

“I can still imagine keeping a very, very good market share; whether 62 percent — that remains to be seen, but we should be able to keep a very premium position.”

GrameenPhone competes with Aktel, majority owned by Telekom Malaysia’s International unit, Egyptian Orascom Telecom’s Banglalink, CityCell, a venture between Singapore Telecommunications and Pacific Bangladesh Telecom and state-run Teletalk.

Warid Telecom International (LLC) of the United Arab Emirates, is set to start its operation in Bangladesh soon.

GrameenPhone is still a private firm and Aas declined to say if there are plans afoot to take the firm public.

“You can imagine GrameenPhone being on the stock exchange in Bangladesh would have a huge impact,” he said.

“We have to see what the shareholders decide. But it’s no secret that the government would like us to do it, for many reasons — like strengthening the capital market.”

In Telenor’s second quarter, GrameenPhone was the Norwegian firm’s biggest contributor to subscriber growth, adding 2 million users. As at its second-quarter, Telenor had 96 million mobile subscribers around the world.

GrameenPhone posted about $150 million in revenues in the second quarter, Aas said, but declined to provide forecasts.

Source- http://in.today.reuters.com

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Bangladesh • CityCell • Egypt • Grameen Telecom • Malaysia • Norway • norwegian firm • Pacific Bangladesh Telecom • Singapore • Teletalk • United Arab Emirates • Warid Telecom International