Banglalink, Robi split over E-GSM spectrum auction timeline

Bangladesh’s two private mobile operators, Robi Axiata and Banglalink, have taken opposing positions on the auction of E-GSM spectrum, the frequency range that can travel long distances and penetrate buildings effectively.

Banglalink has urged the telecom regulator to defer any major spectrum-related decisions until the country’s new Telecommunications Policy is finalised, while Robi is pressing for the spectrum’s immediate release.

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The development comes as the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has decided to hold an auction of the spectrum this year. The regulator in April decided to auction the E-GSM band, ranging from 880 MHz to 888.4 MHz, which is important for providing coverage in dense cities and remote areas.

For customers, the additional spectrum could help improve network coverage and capacity, particularly in areas where mobile networks face congestion or coverage gaps. It could also support more reliable mobile internet services as operators deploy additional capacity on their networks.

In a letter to the BTRC on September 21, Banglalink said the commission should “maintain the status quo on major spectrum-related decisions, including E-GSM” until the forthcoming policy is completed.

The operator argued that spectrum assignment, renewal, pricing, tenure and payment structures should align with the government’s long-term direction on connectivity and digital inclusion, and warned that acting before the policy is finalised “may create inconsistencies between immediate regulatory actions and the government’s long-term strategic direction”.

The operator also flagged that the new policy is expected to enable active infrastructure and spectrum sharing among operators, which could alter spectrum requirements and necessitate the refarming of existing frequency assignments.

Allocating new spectrum beforehand risked fragmentation or inefficiency, said the letter, signed by Banglalink’s Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer Taimur Rahman.

Banglalink called for a comprehensive review of the spectrum-pricing framework — balancing public revenue against operators’ capacity to invest — once the policy takes effect, “through meaningful consultation with industry stakeholders”.

Robi Axiata PLC, however, took the opposite stance.

In a letter on September 24, Robi urged the BTRC to expedite the release and assignment of E-GSM spectrum “in the greater interest of consumers and digital connectivity”.

Robi said delaying access would postpone network capacity and coverage improvements for subscribers, and argued that releasing the spectrum “has limited bearing on the finalisation of the Telecommunications Policy” and would not prejudice future frameworks on infrastructure or spectrum sharing.

Robi contended that pricing concerns need not hold up the release, noting that these could be addressed through the spectrum renewal process scheduled for November 2026, according to the letter signed by its Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Ziad Shatara.

It also emphasised that the contiguity of any assigned E-GSM spectrum was essential to unlock its technical and economic value, warning that fragmented assignments would undermine spectral efficiency and investment certainty.

The operator said it remained committed to “commensurate investments” in network expansion if granted regulatory certainty and contiguous spectrum.

Contacted, BTRC Chairman Major General Md Emdad-Ul-Bari (Retd) said the process would continue as it is and that the commission had already received approval from the ministry to proceed with it.

“This has nothing to do with the policy,” he said. “The government has given permission to set the pricing for the auction, noting that it is within BTRC’s jurisdiction.”