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Mobile broadband continues to drive the Bangladesh telco market

Bangladesh - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Executive summary

Mobile broadband continues to drive the Bangladesh telco market

Bangladesh ranks among the most densely populated countries on the globe, but its fixed-line
penetration remains the lowest in South Asia.

The fixed line market in Bangladesh remains highly underdeveloped due to the dominance of the
mobile segment. Further, the number of fixed telephone lines is slowly declining as the mobile
segment and in particular the mobile broadband segment continues to expand.

Fixed broadband penetration in Bangladesh remains very low mainly due to the dominance of the
mobile platform. Also, the limited and declining number of fixed lines is restricting more widespread
development of fixed broadband. The ECNEC has approved the revival of the NGN modernisation
project to be undertaken by Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL). Over the
next five years to 2023 strong growth is expected to continue.

Bangladesh’s mobile market remains relatively under-developed however has experienced strong
growth over the last six years.

The mobile market has seen significant market consolidation over the past few years with the
merger of Robi Axiata and Airtel Bangladesh. Also, mobile operator CityCell was forced out of the
market, reducing the market to just four major mobile operators by 2018.

In July 2018 the first test run of 5G technology in Bangladesh took place in Dhaka. The
demonstration aimed to show how a 5G ecosystem can be cultivated in the ‘Digital Bangladesh’
project.

Slow to moderate mobile subscriber growth is predicted over the next five years to 2023. The
market will be constrained from higher growth due to very strong local competition.

In 2018 the BTRC issued a directive on allowing Internet of Things (IoT) for smart buildings,
automation industries and some other city services that will help to establish a smart city.
Bangladesh has seen a very rapid increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past five years
driven by a rising level of mobile subscribers with faster download speeds on 4G networks. However,
the mobile broadband market is still at an early stage of development with penetration well below
most other Asian countries. Strong growth is predicted over the next five years to 2023. The mobile
broadband market will be driven by increasingly faster speeds offered by the mobile operators as
they further roll out their 4G networks and eventually launch 5G networks.

Key Developments:

The mobile market has seen significant market consolidation over the past few years.

The first test run of 5G technology in Bangladesh took place in Dhaka.

The BTRC issued a directive on allowing IoT for smart buildings and automation industries.

Overall fixed line penetration dropped slightly from 2013 to 2018.

Strong growth is of mobile broadband subscribers is predicted over the next five years.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL); GrameenPhone; CityCell (PBTL);


Banglalink; Robi; Teletalk; Airtel Bangladesh; Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL).

Table of Contents

1. Executive summary

2. Key statistics

3. Country overview

3.1 Background

4. Telecommunications market

4.1 Market overview and analysis

4.2 Regional Asian Market Comparison

4.3 Background

5. Regulatory Environment

5.1 Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC)

5.2 Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications & Information Technology

5.3 Telecommunications Act 2001

5.4 The Communications Convergence Bill 2001

5.5 The Telecommunication (Amendment) Bill 2010

5.6 Expanded licensing regime


5.7 Infrastructure sharing

5.8 Directives on Service and Tariffs 2015

5.9 Cyber laws

6. Fixed network operators

6.1 Overview

6.2 Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL)

6.3 Fixed broadband service providers

6.3.1 Overview

6.3.2 Grameen Cybernet

6.3.3 InTech Online

6.3.4 AlwaysOn

6.3.5 RanksTel

7. Telecommunications infrastructure

7.1 Overview of the national telecom network

7.2 Fibre networks

7.3 Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP)

7.4 Next Generation Network (NGN)

7.5 National Internet Exchange (NIX) licenses

7.6 Grameen Telecom’s Village Project

7.7 International infrastructure

7.7.1 Satellite

7.7.2 Submarine

7.7.3 International gateways

8. Fixed-line broadband market

8.1 Background

8.2 Broadband statistics with Market Forecast

8.3 Fixed-line broadband technologies

8.3.1 Wireless broadband - Background

8.3.2 WiMAX and Wireless Broadband rollouts

8.3.3 WiFi

9. Mobile market
9.1 Mobile statistics and market forecast

9.2 Mobile broadband and market forecast

9.3 Mobile regulatory issues

9.3.1 Surcharge on mobile usage

9.3.2 Blackberry blocked

9.3.3 SIM registration

9.3.4 Spectrum

9.3.5 Mobile Number Portability (MNP)

9.3.6 Licensing

10. Mobile infrastructure

10.1 3G

10.2 4G

10.3 5G

10.4 Other developments

11. Major mobile operators

11.1 Operator statistics

11.2 GrameenPhone

11.3 Banglalink

11.4 Robi

11.4.1 Merger

11.4.2 Robi Axiata

11.4.3 Airtel Bangladesh

11.5 Teletalk

11.6 Historic - CityCell (PBTL)

12. Smart infrastructure

12.1 Internet of Things

13. Digital economy

13.1 Digital Bangladesh - 2021

13.2 e-Payments

13.3 e-Commerce

13.4 m-Commerce
14. Digital Media

14.1 broadcasting market

14.2 VoIP

15. Related reports

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – 2018 (e)

Table 2 – Key Metrics - Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) - 2018 - 2023

Table 3 – Historic - Fixed-line subscribers by operator – 2010 – 2011; 2013 - 2015

Table 4 – Historic - BTCL subscribers – 2010 - 2016

Table 5 – Fixed Line Subscriptions and Penetration – 2007 - 2018

Table 6 – Historic - fixed-line subscribers and penetration – 1995 - 2006

Table 7 – Historic - Bangladesh optical fibre network - 2016

Table 8 – Historic - FttP broadband subscribers – 2009 - 2016

Table 9 – Historic - Village Phones in Bangladesh – 1998 – 2007; 2010 - 2014

Table 10 – Fixed Broadband Subscribers (with Forecast) – 2007 - 2023

Table 11 – Internet Users and Penetration – 2007 - 2018

Table 12 – Total international internet bandwidth – 2007 - 2018

Table 13 – Lit/Equipped International Bandwidth Capacity – 2015 - 2018

Table 14 – Historic Total international internet bandwidth – 1998 - 2006

Table 15 – WiMAX subscribers – 2012 - 2018

Table 16 – Mobile Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2007 - 2023

Table 17 – Historic - Mobile subscribers – 1996 - 2005

Table 18 – Historic - Mobile services monthly ARPU – 1998 - 2016

Table 19 – Mobile Broadband Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2009 - 2023

Table 21 – Mobile subscribers by system

Table 22 – Mobile Subscriber Market Share by Operator – 2018

Table 23 – GrameenPhone mobile subscribers – 1998 - 2018

Table 24 – Banglalink mobile subscribers – 2002 - 2018

Table 25 – Robi Axiata mobile subscribers – 2005 - 2018

Table 26 – Historic - Airtel Bangladesh subscribers – 2007 – 20171

Table 27 – Teletalk mobile subscribers – 2005 - 2018

Table 28 – Historic - CityCell mobile subscribers – 1999 - 2016


Chart 1 – Mobile, Mobile Broadband & Fixed Broadband Penetration – 2018; 2023

Chart 2 – Asian Telecoms Maturity Index by Market Category

Chart 3 – Asian Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita

Chart 4 –Telecoms Maturity Index – Central Asia

Chart 5 – Fixed Line Subscriptions and Penetration – 2007 - 2018

Chart 6 – Fixed Broadband Subscribers (with Forecast) – 2007 - 2023

Chart 7 – Internet Users and Penetration – 2007 - 2018

Chart 8 – Mobile Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2007 - 2023

Chart 9 – Mobile Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2009 - 2023

Exhibit 1 – Key Market Characteristics by Market Segment

Exhibit 2 – Central Asia -Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country

Exhibit 3 – Licensed wireless broadband access (WBA) operators in Bangladesh – 2014

Exhibit 4 – Mobile operators in Bangladesh

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2016 Asia - Telecom Forecasts

2013 Asia - Mobile Communications Statistics (tables only)

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Focus Report Profile

Technologies

Broadband Fixed

Broadcasting
Companies (Major Players)

Digital Economy

Digital Media

Internet

Mobile & Wireless Broadband and Media

Mobile Communications (voice and infrastructure)

Regulations & Government Policies

Smart Infrastructure

Strategies & Analyses (Industry & Markets)

Telecoms Infrastructure

Number of pages 57

Status Current

Last updated 29 Aug 2018

Update History

Analyst: Phil Harpur

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