Growth of mobile phone slows down drastically
Sunday, 17 May 2009
The growth of mobile phone in the country has slowed down drastically as major cellphone companies fully withdrew subsidy on SIM cards recently discouraging the people from taking new connections, reports BSS.
The country has six mobile phone companies. They are Grameenphone, Banglalink, Aktel, Warid Telecom, CityCell and TeleTalk.
After the withdrawal of subsidy, sources said, each subscriber identification module (SIM) card of Grameenphone and Banglalink now costs Tk 900 against Tk 500 and Tk 300 respectively two months ago. An Aktel SIM card is selling at Tk 600 against Tk 300 a few days ago. However, three other mobile phone vendors - Warid Telecom, CityCell and state-owned TeleTalk - are now selling their SIM cards at subsidised rate at Tk 300, 200 and 400 respectively. According to Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the six mobile phone operators added only 1.86 million new customers in four months till April, raising the total number of users to 46.50 millions. But in the same period (January-April) of the previous year, six million subscribers were added by the six mobile phone vendors.
Anwar Hossain, customer manager of Grameenphone, Paltan outlet, told the news agency Saturday that withdrawal of subsidy on SIM cards by major cellphone companies is the main reason for slowdown in growth of the mobile phone in the country.
The country has six mobile phone companies. They are Grameenphone, Banglalink, Aktel, Warid Telecom, CityCell and TeleTalk.
After the withdrawal of subsidy, sources said, each subscriber identification module (SIM) card of Grameenphone and Banglalink now costs Tk 900 against Tk 500 and Tk 300 respectively two months ago. An Aktel SIM card is selling at Tk 600 against Tk 300 a few days ago. However, three other mobile phone vendors - Warid Telecom, CityCell and state-owned TeleTalk - are now selling their SIM cards at subsidised rate at Tk 300, 200 and 400 respectively. According to Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the six mobile phone operators added only 1.86 million new customers in four months till April, raising the total number of users to 46.50 millions. But in the same period (January-April) of the previous year, six million subscribers were added by the six mobile phone vendors.
Anwar Hossain, customer manager of Grameenphone, Paltan outlet, told the news agency Saturday that withdrawal of subsidy on SIM cards by major cellphone companies is the main reason for slowdown in growth of the mobile phone in the country.