Within months of introducing 4G, Grameenphone has become the first operator in the country to cross the 1 crore 4G internet users. 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, said a press release. Reports UNB. 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. 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 digitalization 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 4G subscribers for Grameenphone inspires us to do it better & faster.” AH

Mobile Internet 3G and 4G services have been resumed on Friday morning 10 hours after the closure of its services on Thursday night. After getting the directives of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the 3G and 4G services were reopened at 8:30am, said the officials of the mobile phone operators. Earlier, the officials of the mobile phone operators were instructed on Thursday night to temporarily shut down the services, said an official of the BTRC, preferring to be unnamed. The shutdown of mobile internet 3G and 4G services has become a much-talked issue to prevent rumours and propaganda ahead of the 11th parliamentary elections slated for December 30. Meanwhile, many subscribers said that mobile internet services were discontinued after 10pm on Thursday. However, there was no discrepancy in the use of internet for wire-based broadband subscribers. MHK

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) asked all the mobile phone operators to suspend the 3G and 4G data services across the country ahead of Sundays’ election. The move came following instructions from the Election Commission to slow down the mobile internet speed. Reports UNB. BTRC sent a letter to the mobile phone companies asking them to implement the directive immediately, said sources at a number of operators. As per the letter, the directive will remain in force until further notice. Contacted, Managing Director of state-owned Teletalk Md Shahab Uddin confirmed UNB that they received such a letter from the telecom regulator. AH

The government has suspended 3G and 4G internet service of mobile phone for 24 hours. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) gave the direction on Saturday evening in the midst of ongoing students’ movement demanding safe roads. The subscribers from 7:30 pm on Saturday began to suffer using internet on mobile phones. After contacting BTRC and mobile phone operators the matter of suspending 3G and 4G internet service came to notice. Acting chairman of BTRC Zahurul Haque said, BTRC has to implement different directions given from upper level of the government. There may be problem to get internet service on mobile phone due to network but that will not like full deactivation. But no mobile phone operator commented formally in this regard. According to police, students are campaigning for the movement using facebook. To tackle the movement of the students police earlier recommended for suspending 3G and 4G internet service. AH     

Telecom service provider Grameenphone and Banglalink have paid Tk 152 crore as Value Added Tax (VAT) on their spectrum acquisition fee for 4G.  Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) deposited the amount to the Large Taxpayer Unit (LTU) of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), said a NBR official. But, Robi did not clear the VAT worth Tk 17 crore. Reports BSS. ‘Last week, Grameenphone and Banglalink paid Tk 152 crore to BTRC. This amount was handed over by a cheque to the LTU on Monday,’ LTU commissioner Md Matiur Rahman said. He said the mobile phone operators had to pay VAT before introducing 4G service, but they did not do so. The LTU filed cases against them, he said.  Grameen and Banglalink paid a total of Tk 151 crore, the first installment of VAT on their spectrum acquisition fee for 4G on Monday, he added. The LTU commissioner said if Robi fails to pay TK 17 crore VAT by next week, its bank account will be frozen. BTRC handed over 4G/LTE license on February 19 to mobile phone operators which started offering the fasted internet services on the same day. On February 13 last, the government collected Taka 5,268 crore by selling 15.6 Megahertz (MHz) of spectrum to Grameenphone and Banglalink through auction as well as conversion fee for technology neutrality. Banglalink acquired a total of 10.6 MHz spectrum -- 5 MHz in 2100 band and 5.6 MHz in 1800 band with Taka 2558 crore while Grameenphone took 5 MHz only in 1800 band at a price of Taka 1,284 crore.  Besides, Taka 850 crore came as spectrum conversion fee for technology neutrality. AH

The moon will have its first 4G cell phone network in 2019, the network builder Vadafone said. Reports Xinhua.  The German branch of the multinational telecommunication company has teamed up with Nokia to do the mission, London-headquartered Vadafone said in a statement.  The network is to support a private lunar rover mission by PTScientists, a private space company based in Berlin, which plans to launch a lander and two small rovers to the moon on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.  PTScientists said their team is committed to bringing down the cost of space exploration and democratizing access to the moon. Their moon rover plan aims to study the lunar rover used by the Apollo astronauts during their historic landing in December 1972.  Nokia will create a space-grade Ultra Compact Network that is said to be the lightest ever developed - weighing around 1 kg, the same as a bag of sugar, according to the statement.  The planned network will enable PTScientists' lander to broadcast a live video from lunar surface to the audience on earth and facilitate the communication among the lander and rovers.  Under previous communication technologies used in moon exploration, such as analogue radio, transmitting data consumes considerable energy reserves and requires rovers to be stationary.  "The great thing about this ... is that it saves so much power, and the less energy we use sending data, the more we have to do science!" said Robert Bohme, CEO and Founder of PT Scientists. AH

Four mobile phone operators of the country have obtained the fourth generation internet service 4G licenses. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) handed over the licenses to Banglalink, Grameenphone, Robi and Tele Talk on Monday. With this, the country has entered into the era of 4G from 3G. Immediate after getting the licenses the operators have launched their 4G network formally. Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar was present as the chief guest in the program. He handed over the 4G licenses. BTRC Chairman Dr. Shahjahan Mahmud, Post and Telecommunication Secretary Shyam Sundar Shikdar and others were present at that time. Mustafa Jabbar said, today is a historical day for Bangladesh. Historical in such a meaning that Bangladesh has stepped into the era of 4G. Hope that telecom operators will meet the demand of subscribers. He further said, telecom operators should extend their quality of service. Because, people spend money to get the service. In the beginning Grameenphone launched 4G in certain parts of Dhaka. On the other hand Banglalink launched their service in Chittagong, Khulna and Sylhet including Dhaka. Besides, Robi has declared to operate 4G service in Dhaka. But the government owned Tele Talk has not declared 4G service launching. Earlier, on February 13 BTRC sold the 4G spectrum to the operators through an auction. AH

Bangladesh is going to enter the era of fourth generation internet service 4G after long anticipation. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) will hand over the 4G licenses to the operators formally on Monday. Grameenphone (GP) subscribers can avail the service in Dhaka within 15 minutes of formal enactment of the service in the country. CEO of GP Michael Foley in a press briefing at a city hotel said on Sunday, we hope that we can enact the service immediately after getting the 4G license on Monday. He said, the subscribers of two cities including Dhaka who upgraded their SIM cards for 4G can avail the service within 15 minutes of inauguration. But he did not mention the name of other city. In the program two 4G handsets were inaugurated for the market of Bangladesh. The WE T 1 and Micromax Canvas 1 named cobranded handsets were formally launched by Spectrum Management Director General of BTRC Brigadier General Md. Nasim Parvez. CEO of GP Michael Foley, Deputy CEO Yasir Azman, Co-founder of Micromax Informatics Vikash Jain and Managing Director of Amra Holdings Limited Syed Farhad Ahmed were present during the occasion. AH

Internet speed will be 3 to 5 times higher in the fourth generation internet service 4G. That means internet speed will be 3 to 5 times more from the existing one mbps service. The auction for 4G spectrum was held at Dhaka Club at Ramna in the capital on Tuesday. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) organized the program. In the auction mobile phone operator Grameenphone has bought 5 MHz radio spectrum with a rate of 31 million US dollars per MHz. After the auction Grameenphone held a press conference at a city hotel in the afternoon. There they said that they will bring the 4G service in the country very soon. Responding to a question about the speed one official said that the speed will be 3 to 5 times higher than the subscribers are getting the service at present. In the post auction press conference Grameenphone CEO Michael Foley said, we have reached in a strong position by adding with the new spectrum with our existing spectrum for providing 4G service with our most modern network. Grameenphone is saying, after buying the spectrum the subscribers will get uninterrupted HD video and live streaming, clear video call and hi speed internet service. To enjoy the modern network the company has requested subscribers to collect the 4G capable SIM instead of the 3G SIM. Grameenphone CEO said, the government has moved one step ahead to implement digital Bangladesh through organizing the auction. We hope that they will take logical policy for expanding 4G service and ensuring its commercial success. AH