Robi racks up 5 crore subscribers

Highlights

• Country's 2nd largest mobile network service provider in 23 years
• Occupies 20.82% of the total market share
• Robi will provide a daily data bonus of 5 crore MB for a month
• The company will arrange feasts at orphanages in around 50 districts

Robi Axiata Ltd, the country's second-largest mobile network service provider, has reached a five-crore subscriber milestone, Managing Director and CEO Mahtab Uddin Ahmed said on Thursday at a digital press conference.

The milestone includes Airtel SIM users who came under Robi's flag after the merger held in 2016.

According to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), currently, some 16.60 crore SIMs are active in the country, with Robi occupying 20.82% market share.

Robi took 23 years to secure this place while the country's leading digital service provider with over 7-crore subscriber base, Grameenphone, reached the same position within 17 years.

Grameenphone reached the same milestone in 2014, and currently, it holds 46.38% market share of active SIMs.

At that time, Banglalink was the second-largest service provider in terms of subscribers with a three-crore customer base and 25.46% market share while Robi came in third with 2.47 crore subscribers and a market share of 20.72%.

Recently, the company got approval from the Bangladesh Security and Exchange Commission to raise Tk523.7 crore through an initial public offering in the local capital market. 

It plans to expand its network with the investors' money.

Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar and BTRC Chairman Jahurul Haque attended the digital press conference to congratulate the service provider.

In his speech, Mustafa Jabbar said: "I believe Robi is now standing on a strong footing to contribute towards the national digital transformation journey."

Meanwhile, congratulating Robi, BTRC Chairman Jahurul Haque asked the service provider to focus on customer services.

"I would expect that Robi will honour the trust the customers have reposed in it by reducing call drops and providing them with better services," he said. 

To celebrate the achievement with subscribers, Robi Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mahtab Uddin Ahmed announced that the digital service provider will provide 50 million free MB through different data packages.

"The free data can be availed by purchasing any of the popular data packs. Robi and Airtel customers can also enjoy 200 MB free data just by installing or logging in to the country's largest online school, Robi-10 Minute School app for the first time," Mahtab added.

Starting from yesterday, the offer will be valid for a month, the CE said, adding that Robi will also arrange a feast at orphanages in around 50 districts across the country as part of its celebration.

Robi's Chief Commercial Officer Shihab Ahmed highlighted the journey of the operators towards the milestone while Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer Shahed Alam moderated the press conference.