Robi ready to launch 4G services

Robi and Ericsson jointly ran a trial of 4G and Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in Dhaka and got high-speed broadband of 90 Mbps and above, said a press release yesterday.

The trial was conducted to demonstrate mobile operator Robi's readiness in introducing 4G services in the

country.

Ericsson, a Sweden-based company, and Robi are going to run similar trials in other cities of Bangladesh shortly, according to the statement.

This is a milestone for Ericsson Bangladesh and a sign of the growing readiness of the country's telecom market to adopt LTE technology.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) will award 4G licences shortly; it has already finalised the proposed guideline for the service.

In the draft guideline, BTRC has proposed Tk 15 crore as the licence fee for 15 years and another Tk 7.5 crore as annual fees. All existing 3G operators will be eligible for 4G licences. Robi and Ericsson's trial was performed using the latest commercial end-user device and a combined carrier of the 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz bands.

In addition to ensuring readiness for the launch of 4G services, the trials are being conducted to demonstrate how this technology can facilitate the end-users in experiencing broadband applications, such as high definition (HD) TV and video conferencing.

“Although there are some barriers to the adoption of 4G/LTE technology, such as low penetration of compatible smartphones, we recognise and appreciate our customers' growing demand for high speed internet, which can only be served using this technology,” said Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, managing director and CEO of Robi Axiata.

“Unfortunately, we feel the licensing framework proposed by the government makes the business case for 4G unviable in Bangladesh.” According to the Ericsson Mobility Report South East Asia and Oceania June 2016, the number of smartphone subscriptions in Bangladesh will more than double between 2015 and 2021.