Bangladesh - Key Statistics, Telecom Market Overview and Forecasts

Synopsis

Bangladesh is one of the poorest, most densely populated, least developed countries in the world. Apart from its lowly economic status, major impediments to growth have included frequent cyclones and floods and the slow implementation of much-needed economic reforms. The country also has a reputation for the inefficiency of its state-owned enterprises. This report looks at the country’s surprisingly energetic telecoms sector, in particular, the effort that has been going into building telecom infrastructure and the progress that has been made on regulatory reforms. Some key measures of the status of telecommunications in Bangladesh are also provided.

Key Developments:

Fixed-line penetration falls below 1% as country clamps down on illegal operations; mobile penetration grow to 48% as the 80 million subscriber mark is reached; licences awarded for building and maintaining a common telecoms transmission network; broadband to include FttX; use of international bandwidth rises 200% in 3 years to 2011; capacity upgrades of over 500% underway into 2012/13; e-services start to build as country drives towards a ‘Digital Bangladesh’ by 2021; low-cost laptops being manufactured locally.

Companies covered in this report include:

Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL); Bangladesh Rural Telecom Authority (BRTA); GrameenPhone; CityCell (PBTL); Orascom Telecom Bangladesh (formerly Sheba Telecom); Banglalink; Robi (formerly Aktel); Teletalk (Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board); Airtel Bangla (formerly Warid Telecom); Bangladesh Railway (BR); Power Grid Company Bangladesh (PGCB); Fibre @ Home (NTTN); Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL)

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. Key statistics
• 3. Country overview
  • 3.1 Background
  • 3.2 Bangladesh’s Economy
• 4. Telecommunications market
  • 4.1 Overview of Bangladesh’s telecom market
  • 4.2 Background to development
• 5. Regulatory environment
  • 5.1 Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC)
  • 5.2 Telecommunications legislation - background
  • 5.3 The National Telecommunications Policy of 1998 (NTP-98)
  • 5.4 Telecommunications Act 2001
  • 5.5 The Communications Convergence Bill 2001
  • 5.6 The Telecommunication (Amendment) Bill 2010
  • 5.7 Privatisation and liberalisation
    • 5.7.1 Licensing in the fixed-line market
    • 5.7.2 Expanded licensing regime
  • 5.8 Regulatory developments
    • 5.8.1 Security
    • 5.8.2 Infrastructure sharing
    • 5.8.3 VoIP licensing and regulation
    • 5.8.4 ICT industry
    • 5.8.5 BTRC audits operators
• 6. Fixed network operators in Bangladesh
  • 6.1 Overview of operators
  • 6.2 Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) - formerly Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB)
  • 6.3 Peoples Telecom (Formerly Bangladesh Rural Telecommunications Authority)
  • 6.4 Sheba Telecom
  • 6.5 WorldTel
  • 6.6 Dhaka Phone
• 7. Telecommunications infrastructure
  • 7.1 National telecom network
    • 7.1.1 Fibre optic networks
    • 7.1.2 Grameen Telecom’s Village Project
  • 7.2 Forecasts – fixed-line market – 2015; 2020
  • 7.3 International infrastructure
    • 7.3.1 International Gateways
    • 7.3.2 Satellite networks
    • 7.3.3 Submarine cable connectivity
  • 7.4 Notes on scenario forecasts
• 8. Related reports

• Table 1 – Country statistics Bangladesh – 2011
• Table 2 – Telecom revenue and investment statistics – 2010
• Table 3 – Telephone network statistics – May 2010
• Table 4 – Internet user statistics – 2011
• Table 5 – Mobile statistics – August 2011
• Table 6 – National telecommunications authorities
• Table 7 – GDP growth – 2000 - 2012
• Table 8 – Fixed-line subscribers by operator – 2010 - 2011
• Table 9 – Fixed telephone line targets and teledensity – 2010; 2025
• Table 10 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1995 - 2012
• Table 11 – Bangladesh optical fibre network - 2011
• Table 12 – Village Phones in Bangladesh – 1998 – 2007; 2010 - 2011
• Table 13 – Forecast fixed line subscribers – 2015; 2020

• Chart 1 – Bangladesh fixed-line subscribers and penetration - 2001 - 2012

• Exhibit 1 – Map of Bangladesh
• Exhibit 2 – Operator licences in Bangladesh by licence category – 2011