Dhaka, Aug 15 (V7N)  – Prime Minister's Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Rehan Asif Asad today urged mobile operators not to be tensed over the upcoming spectrum renewal, saying the renewal involves only around 20 percent of the total spectrum currently assigned to four operators.

"Please do not be tensed. This is only 20 percent and we'll get it right InshAllah. What matters and what's critical is the signal . . .," he said while addressing a roundtable dialogue titled "Spectrum for a connected Bangladesh: Enabling Internet for All", organized by the Telecom and Technology Reporters' Network (TRNB) at a city hotel.

The adviser said 406 MHz of spectrum is currently assigned to four operators, while 79.4 MHz is due for renewal in 2026, with the next renewal beginning in November 2026 and continuing through 2034.

He stressed that spectrum should not be viewed merely as a means of generating government revenue, but as a national resource and a strategic enabler of connectivity, digital inclusion, productivity and long-term economic growth.

Referring to discussions on spectrum pricing, Rehan said the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology and the Finance Ministry would need to work through the existing process to reach a decision. He noted that other countries had reduced spectrum prices while Bangladesh had not, and stressed the importance of explaining the economic and consumer benefits of any reduction.

Rehan also called for maximising the use of existing spectrum through spectrum sharing, alongside infrastructure sharing, describing spectrum as a national resource that should be properly utilised for national benefit. He said technological convergence between mobile and satellite services was likely to happen sooner rather than later, and the government should remain open to technologies that benefit end users.

The adviser particularly stressed the need to reduce the price of mobile handsets, saying around 50 percent of people were still using 2G-enabled feature phones. He said he had held discussions with 14 local mobile phone manufacturers before the budget and asked them to find a way to reduce the price of the cheapest smartphone from Taka 10,000 to 3,000. Manufacturers later showed that a lower-end Android phone could potentially be produced for around Taka 5,000 to 6,000.

He said all commercial banks and government banks have started offering EMI facilities on mobile phones from the previous week following discussions with the Bangladesh Bank governor. Mobile operators could work with local manufacturers on co-branding and bundles involving voice and data to make handsets more affordable, he added.

The adviser also said there would be zero tax and duty on all raw materials for such low-cost phones, referring to a commitment from the National Board of Revenue chairman.

He said the country could consider using money from the Service and Universal Fund (SoF) to bring low-income users into digital inclusion and support public Wi-Fi. Connectivity had a significant economic impact, he noted, with every 10 percent improvement in mobile or broadband connectivity associated with a 1 percent incremental improvement in national GDP.

Rehan said spectrum was important, but devices, networks and quality of service also mattered as part of the broader industry ecosystem. The mobile industry was facing global challenges, including flat revenue per user, while average data use in Bangladesh had reached 8.6 gbps compared with more than 20 in Southeast Asia.

Looking ahead, he said the convergence of telecom and AI could create new revenue opportunities, with AI-focused data centres, cloud services and tokenisation emerging as areas of future growth. Bangladesh's total peak submarine capacity requirement was currently around 12.1 terabits per second and could reach around 30 terabits by 2030, with the government working to build at least 50 terabits per second of capacity.

Rehan assured operators that the government would support what was needed for the industry, consumers and rational spectrum pricing. "Please don't be tensed. Think what this country needs. Think what the people need. Think about network quality, the QoS, the future business model, how we can adopt more data," he said.

END/AJ/RH