Bangladesh’s 5G rollout has been delayed by a lack of demand and investment, according to government officials and telecom operators.
The country’s first 5G trial was launched in December 2021, but commercial services have yet to be rolled out.
In March 2022, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) auctioned 200 MHz of 5G spectrum to four mobile operators. The government raised Tk 10,545 crore from the auction.
However, the operators have not yet launched 5G services, citing a lack of demand and investment.
“We have given spectrum to the operators,” said Post and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar. “Now it is up to them to create demand in the market. If they cannot show the usefulness of 5G, how will people be interested? People need to be made aware of its benefits and usefulness.”
Operators say they are ready to launch 5G, but they need investment from businesses and governments.
“We have made all our sites 5G-ready,” said Mohammad Sahedul Alam, chief corporate and regulatory officer of Robi Axiata. “But now we need devices and solutions. Because this technology is solution and software-dependent. If the ecosystem is ready, we can quickly provide this service.”
BTRC Commissioner Engineer Sheikh Riaz Ahmed said that 5G requires a lot of investment.
“Operators need to install heavy equipment,” he said. “The cost is much higher than the number of customers. Now we need to create customers and demand.”
Ahmed said that the full 5G rollout could be completed by the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025.
5G operators have been demanding a comprehensive guideline for 5G. Ahmed said that the guideline has been finalized and sent to the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.
Md. Imdadul Haque, president of the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), said that internet service providers are ready to support the 5G rollout. However, he said that there is still no investment interest in the sector.
“The return is not coming,” he said. “However, there is an opportunity to launch this service in urban areas.”
The delay in Bangladesh’s 5G rollout is a setback for the country’s digital transformation goals. 5G is a key technology for supporting new applications and services, such as autonomous vehicles, virtual reality, and smart cities.
The lack of demand for 5G in Bangladesh is likely due to several factors, including the high cost of 5G devices and services, the low penetration of smartphones in the country, and the lack of awareness about the benefits of 5G.
The government and operators need to work together to address these challenges and accelerate the 5G rollout in Bangladesh.
