BTCL Begins Bangladesh’s First MVNO under New Telecom Policy
As the first step under the new telecom policy, Bangladesh is set to launch its first-ever Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) service. To establish a toll-plaza–free telecom highway and ensure seamless voice-data connectivity along with access to various OTT or streaming platforms, Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) has received approval to operate as an MVNO.
The announcement was made on Sunday, 30 November, by Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications, and ICT. He said BTCL has received authorization to launch the MVNO network on a trial basis. A dedicated team is already working on the initiative, and the pilot project will begin soon.
Earlier on 27 September, he posted that BTCL would introduce triple-play and quad-play services for the first time in Bangladesh. These will include MVNO, mobile SIM, Alap, and JIPON services, along with unlimited voice and data. Customers will also have access to various local and international OTT or streaming platforms.
Previously, Bangladesh commercially rolled out 5G for customers, while VoLTE and VoWiFi are now fully operational. The process of launching private 5G networks is also underway.
In this context, the Adviser expressed optimism that services like Large Public Indoor (LPI), small cells, and network slicing would be launched soon, as the new policy enables the use of such technologies. A crucial auction for the 700 MHz spectrum has already been announced.
According to Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, various vested groups had long held the telecom sector hostage around connectivity, turning telecom access into a “toll plaza.” The government is now working to ensure nobody can engage in rent-seeking with minimal investment.
He added that the government aims to free the connectivity highway from these toll plazas. Fiber optics are being opened up, eliminating infrastructure barriers to fiber access and data flow.
“Instead of limiting the telecom sector to internet connectivity alone, the government aims to transform it into a digital service–centric industry. The current mobile internet and broadband markets revolve around data volume (MB/GB), whereas the real need is service-based packages,” he said.
He further noted that the new industry will create major opportunities in ed-tech, agro-tech, health-tech, fintech, and OTT-based digital services. The Telecommunications Network and Licensing Policy 2025 has been designed with this transformation in mind. The plan is to migrate all industry players gradually toward service-based models.
The Adviser said the telecom sector had been kept in a “bonsai state” by restricting it to connectivity alone. The journey to overcome this dwarf condition has now begun. Its ultimate success will come once the government completes projects centered on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the electronic identity layer.
To ensure better governance of personal data and privacy, the government has introduced two major legal frameworks: the Personal Data Protection Ordinance 2025 and the National Data Governance Ordinance 2025. These will establish the legal foundation for the transition from connectivity to service-based operations, digital public infrastructure, and citizen services.
Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb emphasized that the government is dismantling entrenched syndicates and stagnation. They are building a service-based digital ecosystem that, he said, will yield long-term benefits for citizens and the national economy.
It may be noted that BTCL attempted to launch triple-play services in 2017 under the “Telecommunication Network Modernization for Digital Connectivity” project, but the plan was not fully implemented. This time, under the new policy and guidelines, a 15-member committee comprising officials from BTCL and Teletalk was formed on 27 August to implement the MVNO initiative.
DBTech / FR / EK / OR
