Bangladesh Consortium Seals Deal for Nokia Submarine Cable Line
Bangladesh Private Cable System (BPCS) Consortium has signed a strategic agreement to acquire submarine line terminal equipment from Finland’s Nokia, aiming to become the country’s first private submarine cable operator.
The deal was finalized on December 14 at a Dhaka hotel with consortium members Metacor Subcom, Summit Communication, and Cydnet Communication in attendance. Nokia India’s Head of Sales Prashant Malkani and Senior Sales Account Director Suman Prasad, along with CEOs Arif Al Islam (Summit), Moshiur Rahman (Cydnet), and Aminul Hakim (Metacor Subcom), signed the agreement.
European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Michael Miller, Finland’s Ambassador to India Dr. Antti Harlevi, and Japanese Ambassador Daisaku Tuskaw were also present.
The submarine cable, with a 50 Tbps capacity, will connect via Singapore and Myanmar, with a projected lifespan of 20 years. Aminul Hakim highlighted that the cable represents not only underwater connectivity but also a symbol of sovereignty, promising reduced bandwidth costs and enhanced market competition.
Cydnet CEO Moshiur Rahman noted that over 600 organizations are currently connected through 150,000 lines totaling 1,800 Tbps. The new cable will reduce dependency on neighboring countries for bandwidth. Nokia’s technology ensures energy-efficient, compact equipment, minimizing data center space requirements and operational costs, potentially lowering consumer internet prices.
BPCS Consortium plans to launch services around March-April 2026, with the cable expected to cut bandwidth prices by up to 40 percent. Nokia’s SLTE technology on both ends ensures high cybersecurity standards. Once operational, the new 3-pair cable on the Singapore–Cox’s Bazar route will strengthen Bangladesh’s bandwidth self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on India.
Other Nokia representatives at the signing included Zibitesh Nayal (Head of Emerging Business), Rahul Derwani (Marketing Manager), Mohammad R. Islam (Account Manager), and Christopher Samuel (Head of Sales, Bangladesh).
DBTech/IH/OR
