Mobile operators seek rational spectrum pricing to boost investment
Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman said spectrum, taxes and revenue sharing should not be considered in isolation when assessing the industry’s economics
Mobile phone operators are pressing for a more rational approach to spectrum pricing, arguing that high costs are squeezing investment in networks and limiting improvements in service quality as the country seeks to expand its digital economy.
Chief executives and senior industry officials said spectrum should be assessed not only for the revenue it generates for the government but also for its impact on network capacity, consumer prices, investment and the wider economy.
They said the industry's economics have changed significantly as mobile connectivity has become an essential input for financial services, e-commerce, education, manufacturing and other sectors, reports BSS.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
They made the comments at a roundtable titled "Spectrum for a connected Bangladesh: Enabling Internet for ALL," organised by the Telecom and Technology Reporters' Network (TRNB) at a city hotel.
TRNB President SM Masuduzzaman Robin chaired the event, while its General Secretary Faruque Hosain delivered the welcome address.
Prime Minister's Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Rehan Asif Asad attended as chief guest and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Major Gen Md Emdad Ul Bari (retd) as special guest.
"Of the around 14 crore mobile phone users in the country, nearly half still use 2G phones. We cannot bring these 7 crore people onto smartphones overnight. But we can bring them under data networks within the next six to 12 months," he said.
Grameenphone Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Yasir Azman said spectrum, taxes and revenue sharing should not be considered in isolation when assessing the industry's economics.
"We are taking one lens at a time, once spectrum, once tax, once revenue sharing separately," he said, calling for a broader assessment of the sector.
Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) President and Robi CEO Ziad Shatara said operators made less money in 2024 and 2025, with profitability declining in 2025, and urged stakeholders to examine why the industry's financial performance has weakened.
Banglalink CEO Johan Buse said lower spectrum prices would benefit service quality, the country and investment.
"More affordable spectrum would benefit quality, would benefit the country, and would definitely attract more investments," he said.
Robi Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer Shahed Alam put the industry's cost concern in numerical terms, saying global operators spend around 7% of their revenue on spectrum, compared with about 15% to 18% for operators in Bangladesh.
He said Bangladesh should study international experience before setting spectrum prices, pointing to Vietnam and other countries.
Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Executive Director TIM Nurul Kabir said the telecom sector had made a significant contribution to the economy through investment and connectivity.
He said mobile operators had invested around $450 million since the industry's inception and that the networks they established had helped strengthen connectivity across the economy.
Kabir also called for research comparing Bangladesh's spectrum pricing with other countries before further decisions are made.
