B Mirror Report: The government has instructed the telecom regulator to allocate a major portion of the remaining 700 MHz spectrum to state-owned operator Teletalk Bangladesh, even though the company has more than Tk 5,500 crore in outstanding spectrum fees and other liabilities.
The move has sparked debate over adherence to existing spectrum policies.
According to official documents, the Posts and Telecommunications Division recently directed the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to assign 10 MHz to Teletalk from the 15 MHz left unsold in the 700 MHz band through an executive order.
A total of 25 MHz in the band had initially been set for auction. On January 21, Grameenphone secured 10 MHz in the 700 MHz band at the base price of Tk 237 crore per MHz, becoming the first mobile operator in the country to obtain spectrum in this band. The company is set to pay Tk 2,370 crore for the allocation.
Grameenphone was the sole participant in the auction. Anticipating low competition, the BTRC had earlier revised the auction rules, reducing the maximum allocation per operator from 15 MHz to 10 MHz. As no other bidder joined, 15 MHz remained unallocated after the auction.
The government has now decided to assign 10 MHz of the remaining spectrum to Teletalk, leaving 5 MHz still unassigned.
The decision has drawn scrutiny as spectrum guidelines generally restrict operators with unpaid dues from receiving fresh allocations. Teletalk currently owes Tk 5,506 crore in unpaid spectrum charges and other liabilities.
BTRC Chairman Md Emdad ul Bari confirmed that the commission had received a letter from the government regarding the allocation. He noted that Teletalk had previously requested spectrum from the band but was turned down because allocating it without auction would have been considered uncompetitive.
He added that since an auction had already been conducted and part of the spectrum remains unsold, the government can allocate the remaining portion. Regarding Teletalk’s outstanding payments, he acknowledged that existing rules bar allocations to operators with dues, but said there are provisions under which Teletalk has received spectrum in the past.
Teletalk currently serves around 68 lakh subscribers out of approximately 18.6 crore mobile users nationwide, representing about 3.66 percent of the market.
The 700 MHz band is widely regarded as highly valuable due to its technical benefits. As a low-frequency band, it offers broader coverage, better indoor penetration and requires fewer towers compared to higher-frequency bands. It is considered particularly effective for expanding rural coverage, improving urban indoor connectivity and supporting both 4G expansion and future 5G rollout.
