Bangladesh’s telecom regulator, BTRC, has invited Robi Axiata and Banglalink to a policy discussion on low-band spectrum management after assigning 10 MHz in the 700 MHz band to Grameenphone (GP) — the first commercial use of this premium spectrum in the country.
The allocation, valid for 13 years and valued at around Tk 22 billion, is intended to improve nationwide coverage, indoor connectivity, and future readiness for 5G, AI, and IoT. GP welcomed the move, describing it as a major investment in network performance and service quality.
However, rival operators and analysts argue that granting high-value low-band spectrum to a single operator risks widening competitive imbalances in a market where GP already leads in subscribers and revenue. They have urged BTRC to release all available low-band spectrum, including EGSM, through a coordinated auction.
