Telecom Sector in 180 Days: 85% Progress, 15% Challenges Remain
A review of the telecom and postal sector’s performance over the past 180 days shows significant progress in policy reform, infrastructure expansion and technological modernization, with several initiatives achieving between 70% and 100% completion.
The National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) has been implemented, preparations for the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s (BTRC) spectrum auction have advanced, e-commerce logistics infrastructure has been expanded and submarine cable facilities have been strengthened.
However, the sector continues to face challenges. Higher duties and the ongoing dollar shortage have pushed up smartphone prices by 10% to 15%, while ensuring consistent quality of service (QoS), including addressing call drops and weak indoor network coverage, remains a concern for consumers.
Key achievements
-
100% completion: Ten entrepreneur-run franchise post offices, 14 fulfillment centers, a 1-megawatt solar power plant for the cable industry, expansion of GPON broadband, and free BTCL Wi-Fi at eight airports and six railway stations have been implemented.
-
Projects showing substantial progress: Satellite internet connectivity for 100 schools in the Chattogram Hill Tracts has reached 70%, fixed broadband QoS monitoring 80%, spectrum auction preparations 85%, modern mail monitoring and spectrum control 90%, and disaster response systems 95%.
-
Policy and market challenges: While NEIR has been introduced to curb illegal handsets and the Licensing Management System (LMS) has been digitized, higher duties have contributed to rising smartphone prices. Consumer dissatisfaction over domestic call drops also persists.
180-Day Performance: Statistics and Assessment
| Sector/Project | Progress | Achievement and Administrative Status |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise Post Offices | 100% | The target of establishing 10 entrepreneur-operated post offices has been fully achieved. |
| Free Wi-Fi at Airports and Railway Stations | 100% | BTCL has activated free Wi-Fi at eight airports and six major railway stations. |
| Solar Power Plant | 100% | A 1-megawatt solar power plant has been installed at Bangladesh Cable Shilpa Limited. |
| Data Packages and Educational Institutions | 100% | High-speed internet and affordable data packages have been introduced at 10 educational institutions/locations. |
| Postal Logistics/Fulfillment Centers | 100% | Processing, booking and delivery of e-commerce products have begun at 14 fulfillment centers. |
| NEIR Implementation and Security | 100% | The National Equipment Identity Register has been launched to control illegal and unauthorized handsets. |
| Infrastructure and Disaster Response | 95% | Network monitoring and emergency disaster-management systems are 95% complete. |
| Spectrum and Postal Modernization | 90% | Spectrum monitoring and the Mail Monitoring Software initiative have reached 90% progress. |
| Transport Network Connectivity | 90% | LEO satellite devices have been installed on four trains and women’s buses operated by BRTC. |
| BTRC Spectrum Auction Preparation | 85% | Final administrative preparations for allocating new 4G/5G spectrum have been completed. |
| Fixed Broadband QoS System | 80% | Implementation of the new fixed broadband monitoring system is 80% complete. |
| Internet for Schools in the Chattogram Hill Tracts | 70% | LEO satellite connectivity has been established at 70 of 100 schools in the hill districts. |
| Third Submarine Cable | Testing completed | In-station testing and equipment installation at the Cox’s Bazar landing station have been completed. |
Areas of Progress and Remaining Gaps
The strongest progress has been recorded in e-commerce logistics management, particularly through the establishment of fulfillment centers; backbone network coverage in rural and hard-to-reach areas, including haor wetlands, the hill tracts and the Sundarbans; digitization of BTRC’s licensing system through the Licensing Management System (LMS); and digital security through NEIR implementation.
Several challenges, however, remain unresolved.
Satellite internet connectivity has yet to reach all schools in the hill districts, with 30% of the target still remaining. According to observations contained in the telecom sector white paper, delays in utilizing the Social Obligation Fund (SOF) for underserved areas have not been fully resolved.
Although battery replacement and drive tests have been completed for Teletalk, consumers continue to experience call drops and weak indoor signals. At the same time, tax policies affecting the local handset assembly industry, coupled with the dollar shortage, have increased mobile phone prices, creating additional barriers to technology adoption among low-income and marginalized communities.
White Paper, Policy and Administrative Challenges
The telecom sector white paper and reviews of previous years have raised questions over alleged licensing irregularities, transparency in the use of the Social Obligation Fund allocated for underserved areas, and additional charges related to submarine cable services.
Under the draft telecom policy, steps are now being taken to simplify BTRC’s licensing process. The introduction of an online License Management System (LMS) under MOCSLA is expected to reduce long-standing bureaucratic complexities and make the licensing process more efficient.
Policy Direction and Government Perspective
Although reforms to the draft telecom policy and the introduction of the online LMS under MOCSLA are expected to reduce administrative bottlenecks, industry stakeholders have called for stronger regulatory oversight to ensure that improvements are reflected in the quality of services received by consumers.
Postal and Telecommunications Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam has repeatedly stressed the importance of inclusive digital development.
“There is no alternative to inclusive development if we are to ensure that the benefits of technology reach every household. We are committed to bringing every citizen, from the hill regions to the remote haor areas, under digital network coverage.”
Meanwhile, Rehan Asif Asad, the Prime Minister’s Adviser for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, has said on several occasions that the country’s digital transformation must go beyond simply expanding bandwidth.
“The real success of Digital Bangladesh lies not merely in increasing bandwidth, but in keeping the cost of data within the reach of ordinary people and making the local technology industry self-reliant.”
Connectivity at the Core of the AI Economy
Globally, as many as 85 million existing jobs are expected to decline while 97 million new technology-driven jobs are being created. The appropriate use of artificial intelligence could potentially increase overall global productivity by around 7% annually.
Achieving these gains, however, will depend heavily on robust digital connectivity and its expansion to underserved communities.
Industry stakeholders told this correspondent that progress should not be measured solely by administrative milestones or paperwork. Instead, BTRC’s monitoring tools should be used more effectively to identify and resolve the problems experienced by ordinary consumers, particularly call drops and slow internet speeds.
They argued that completing 5,000 kilometres of drive tests or replacing network batteries should not be viewed as an end in itself. Teletalk’s network coverage must also be expanded in line with international standards.
They also called for a long-term, affordable data policy not only for students but for professionals and other sections of society. Nationwide implementation of radiation monitoring should be accelerated as well.
At the policy level, the government should use the telecom sector white paper as a roadmap to address irregularities, strengthen accountability and restore discipline in the industry.
Above all, stakeholders stressed that fiberization of the country’s telecom backbone must receive the highest priority. This should be accompanied by strategic initiatives to establish AI data centers and address the sector’s growing energy requirements, ensuring that Bangladesh’s digital infrastructure can support the next phase of technology-driven economic growth.
//DigiBanglaTech/IH/MIST/MSI//
