2008: BTTB converted into Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) with 100% shares owned by Government. The Submarine Cable Project transformed into Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL)
2018: On 19 February 4G mobile service is introduced.[5]
2021: On 12 December 5G mobile service is introduced by TeleTalk.
2022: On 17 March Unlimited Validity Data service is introduced by TeleTalk.
2022: On 31 March 5G auction is held for all Telecom companies.
2023: On 1 November, Teletalk and Banglalink jointly introduced the first National Roaming Network with approximately 20,600 towers in Bangladesh.
Structure
Bangladesh Telecom Network Topology
As defined in the National Telecommunications Policy 1998 and International Long-Distance Telecommunications Services (ILDTS) Policy 2007, all mobile operators are to interconnect through Interconnection Exchange (ICX) and all international calls to be handled by International Gateway (IGW) which is to be connected to the mobile and fixed operators through the ICXs.
The Interconnection Exchange (ICX) will receive all calls from the mobile and fixed operators whenever the call is made to another network and will pass it to the destination network if the call is local, and will pass to the IGWs if the call is international. ICX will also deliver calls received from IGWs where the call is destined.[6]
Below illustrate the structure of interconnection between different interfaces.
The number of public switched telephone network (PSTN) subscribers in Bangladesh as of February 2009 was 1.372million.[7] PSTN operators in Bangladesh include:
There are four mobile phone operators in Bangladesh, operating under the names of Banglalink, Grameenphone, Robi and TeleTalk. The number of mobile phone subscribers in Bangladesh as of April 2015 was 124.705million,[8] having risen from the February 2009 figure of 45.21million.[9] As of September, 2022 the number of mobile phone subscriber has risen to 181.43 Million.
Long distance operators (as per ILDTS Policy 2007)
On 25 February 2008 the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission awarded licenses for two Interconnection Exchanges (ICX), three International Gateways (IGm), and one International Internet Gateway (IIG) to six firms through an open auction in February 2008. The incumbent BTTB got the same licenses too. And after then on 12 April 2012, the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission awarded licenses for twenty-one Interconnection Exchanges (ICX), twenty two International Gateways (IGw), and thirty International Internet Gateway (IIG). Here is the list of all operators:
Internet Protocol Telephony Service Provider (IPTSP) operators
On 18 August 2009, the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission commenced awarding licenses for IPTSP. IPTSP operators are regulated by the BTRC.[11] Current IPTSP operators in Bangladesh are:
Nationwide:
Royal Green Online Ltd.
Systems Solutions & Development Technologies Limited[SSD-TECH]. (prefix-09642)
MetroNet Bangladesh Ltd. (prefix-09612)
Icon Infotech Ltd. (prefix-09644)
Amber IT Ltd. (prefix-09611)
Telnet Communication Ltd.
Link3 Technologies Ltd. (prefix-09678)
BDCOM Online Ltd. (prefix-09666)
Access Telecom (BD) Ltd. (prefix-09622)
ADN Telecom Ltd. (formerly Advanced Data Network Systems Ltd) (prefix-09610)
Agni Systems Ltd. (prefix-09606)
Rightsoft Systems
Akceycom Ltd.
Akij Online Ltd.
Bangladesh Export Import Company Ltd.
Bangladesh Internet Exchange Ltd.
BEXIMCO AND SQUARE (prefix-09609)
BRACNet Ltd. (prefix-09677)
Broad Band Telecom Services Ltd.
BTS Communications (BD) Ltd., branded as UbernetBD
Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2, community radio 1, Internet radios
Radios: 6.15 million (1997)
The government-owned Betar-Radio Bangladesh operates from Dhaka and other local districts. Currently, private FM radio channels are very popular. They are trying to attract young people by broadcasting music and news. The operating private radio channels include:
As of 2012, there are 23 broadcast television stations in Bangladesh, including the state-run BTV and BTV World, with 20 million television sets in the country.
Bangladesh first received Internet access in 1996. In the recent years, Internet usage has rapidly increased. The Bangladesh government imposes a high Internet tariff, stunting the sector's growth, claims Norwegian-owned Telenor. [citation needed] Due to controversy, the Bangladesh government decided to reduce the tariff by 50%.[12]
In April 2010, Akhtaruzzaman Manju, president of the Internet Service Providers' Association of Bangladesh, told Xinhua that the country's six mobile phone operators and Internet Service Providers have so far provided over 800,000 Internet connections. "We've estimated that nearly 10 million people in the country are using 800,000 internet connections on a shared basis," he said, adding the number of Internet users in the country is increasing yearly by around 15-16 percent.[14]
A 2009 study by the Boston Consulting Group found that the number of Internet subscribers in Bangladesh is likely to reach 18.3 million by 2020, equivalent to a 32 percent household Internet penetration, which will result in a 2.6 percent contribution to the country's GDP while creating 129,000 more jobs, the research added.[15]
Broadband Internet access
Though broadband Internet access is available, the cost of high-speed connection is higher than in other south Asian countries. Broadband Internet and e-commerce in Bangladesh is progressing slowly. WiMAX service is now available from some Internet service providers. In Bangladesh broadband is legally defined as 128/128kbit/s, which is not in line with ITU standards.[16]
The ISPs currently providing broadband services in Bangladesh are:
There are six satellite Earth stations, including Talimabad, and Betbunia. Bangladesh sent its first satellite, Bangabandhu-1, into space on May 11, 2018.
Submarine cables
Bangladesh is connected to SEA-ME-WE 4 or SMW-4 (South-East Asia – Middle East – Western Europe 4) and SEA-ME-WE 5 submarine cable systems. The landing site of the SMW-4 Bangladesh branch is located in Cox's Bazar and the landing site of the SMW-5 Bangladesh branch is located in Kuakata. The two submarine cables provide the country with redundancy to support uninterrupted Internet and long-distance communications and also with a huge bandwidth. Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited is the only submarine cable operator in Bangladesh.[17]
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