Within fourteen months of introducing 4G, Grameenphone Ltd. becomes the first operator in the country to cross the 1 crore 4G customer mark. Since the launch of 4G in February 2018, Grameenphone crossed the threshold of 50 lakh 4G customers in November 2018 and the latter 50 lakh joined within only five months.
The introduction of 4G last year ushered in a new era of digitalization in the country with a promise to put high-speed internet in the hands of the people. Grameenphone was granted an operating license for 4G services after it acquired 5 MHz spectrum in the 1800 MHz frequency band, making it the highest holder of the 1800 MHz frequency, the most suitable spectrum for 4G/LTE rollout. The intensity of the internet customer base growth is in direct correlation with the growing role of internet in everyday life. 4G growth, which was primarily in the urban areas, found its way to the semi-urban and rural landscape as faster internet began shaping the lifestyle of the people of Bangladesh. Starting from seeking knowledge to developing agricultural ecosystem, from grocery shopping to managing transportation, the internet is shifting the thought paradigm and the behaviour of the people in the country.
Denoting this milestone, Grameenphone’s DCEO and CMO, Yasir Azman, said, “Bangladesh is one of the fastest growing 4G market in Asia. This shows how fast the country is moving towards digitalisation through mobile broadband and creating the opportunities to unleash potentials. Grameenphone is committed to invest & bring high speed Internet to citizens across all over Bangladesh. This milestone of 1crore million 4G subscribers for Grameenphone inspires us to do it better & faster.”
Grameenphone is the first operator in Bangladesh to introduce mobile internet and take it across the country, giving people access to the world of information. The company also invested time and money to build a digital ecosystem in the country in support of a digital lifestyle. Grameenphone partnered with different stakeholders to reduce the price of internet-enabled devices, introducing digital services and supporting startups to come up with new services. Currently, over 3.7 crore customers use the internet on the Grameenphone’s network.
Grameenphone continues to expand its 4G coverage across the country and most recently became one of the first telecom operators in South Asia and the first operator in Bangladesh to introduce the NB-IoT network.