Teletalk to Receive 10 MHz Spectrum in 700 Band on Installments

State-owned mobile operator Teletalk is set to receive 10 MHz spectrum in the 700 MHz band on an installment basis, following a private operator. The spectrum will be allocated through an executive order of the government at a base price of Tk 237 crore per MHz.

With this allocation, only 5 MHz of the auctionable 25 MHz spectrum in the 700 MHz band will remain available. The remaining 20 MHz is currently tied up due to an ongoing legal dispute with ISP Always On Network.

The information was confirmed on Monday, February 9, by Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser in charge of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology.

Speaking near the end of his tenure, Taiyeb said that during his short time in office, Teletalk’s 4G towers increased by 1,100, while work is underway to add another 1,200 towers, which is expected to be completed within the next six months. He also said batteries have been installed at 1,100 sites to ensure uninterrupted network service during power outages.

“Most importantly, we are allocating 10 MHz spectrum to Teletalk in the 700 MHz band. The operator will be allowed to pay the spectrum fee in installments,” he said.

According to sources, the Posts and Telecommunications Division sent a letter to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on February 8, instructing it to take necessary steps to ensure spectrum allocation for Teletalk. BTRC has already initiated the process to implement the decision.

Earlier, on January 21 this year, BTRC had planned to auction 25 MHz spectrum in the 700 MHz band. However, as Robi, Banglalink and Teletalk did not participate in the auction, BTRC’s Spectrum Management Committee decided to allocate spectrum solely to Grameenphone following its application. The operator was awarded up to 10 MHz spectrum with payment facilities spread over 10 installments.

Industry insiders believe the allocation to Teletalk will significantly strengthen its indoor network coverage. Meanwhile, the allocation of the remaining spectrum is expected to add around Tk 9,500 crore to the national exchequer once legal complications are resolved.

DBTech/IH/AH