BTRC to Decide on 700 MHz Spectrum Allocation for Grameenphone

As no competing bidder has taken part, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is set to hold a meeting on Wednesday, 21 January, to decide on allocating 700 MHz spectrum to Grameenphone as the sole “auction participant.” The meeting is scheduled to take place in the afternoon at the spectrum auction venue, chaired by BTRC Commissioner Mahmud Hossain.

The meeting will discuss a proposal to allocate 10 MHz from the 700 MHz band to the country’s largest mobile operator at a reduced base price of Tk 237 crore per megahertz—reflecting a 10 percent price cut—in an effort to enhance the quality and coverage of 4G and 5G services across the telecom sector. If all members agree, the committee’s member secretary and BTRC Director Md. Nurunnabi will submit a report to the commission meeting with a recommendation on the allocation.

According to sources, a final decision on the spectrum allocation will be taken at the commission meeting scheduled for 28 January. It is learned that Grameenphone may receive the additional 10 MHz spectrum on 31 January, for which the operator will be required to pay Tk 2,370 crore as spectrum fees.

However, rival operators Robi Axiata and Banglalink have earlier warned that allocating this low-band spectrum to Grameenphone—already dominant in the market—could disrupt competitive balance in the telecom sector.

In a letter sent to BTRC, Robi stated that when the proposed price of the 700 MHz band is combined with the cost of deploying new hardware and expanding nationwide network infrastructure, the spectrum would not be commercially viable for non-significant market power operators. Robi added that if the price were better aligned with the country’s economic realities, it might consider acquiring 700 MHz spectrum in the future. The letter highlighted advantages such as improved rural coverage, better indoor signal penetration, economies of scale, lower cost per bit, and faster rollout of fifth-generation services.

Calling for fair spectrum distribution to maintain competition, Robi also reiterated its earlier demand for simultaneous allocation of 3.4 MHz spectrum from the 900 MHz band. In a separate letter to BTRC, Banglalink expressed similar concerns.

While not opposing the auction itself, Banglalink cautioned that conducting an auction with a single bidder could lead to concentration of spectrum in the hands of an operator with significant market power. This, it warned, could distort competition, create structural imbalances in low-band spectrum holdings, and ultimately undermine the long-term sustainable development of the sector.

Reaffirming its interest in acquiring advanced Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) band spectrum, Banglalink noted that approximately 8.4 MHz of spectrum remains available in the 880–888.4 MHz range. The operator requested administrative allocation of this band and sought at least 3.4 MHz of spectrum, particularly within the 885–888.4 MHz range.