Some 1.06 crore of mobile phone users left Dhaka until May 15 after the exodus began on May 4 despite strict restriction on movement to curb the spread of Covid-19 infections, according to data of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

Mobile financial service providers are taking an additional Tk 1.5 from the clients by charging Tk 20 instead of Tk 18.50 as cash-out fee for every Tk 1,000, telecom experts said today.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has launched a drive to crack down on the telecom value-added service providers that stealthily activate service on the phones of customers without their consent.

Mobile phone users can stop receiving promotional messages on their handsets by dialling codes, said the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) in a notice yesterday.

Customers will be able to stop the flow of promotional texts on mobile phones through the "Do Not Disturb (DND)" service.

Grameenphone, the country’s biggest mobile phone operator, saw its net profit drop 16 per cent year-on-year to Tk 890 crore in the January-March quarter of 2021, impacted by a reduction in inter-connection revenue and economic uncertainties from Covid-19.

Robi Axiata logged 1.7 per cent higher revenue year-on-year in the first quarter of 2020 thanks to increased data use.

Telenor Group and Axiata Group Berhad are in advanced discussions about a potential merger of their Malaysian mobile operations Digi and Celcom, Telenor said yesterday.

The country's second-largest mobile operator Robi will offer a low-cost internet data package for university teachers and students to support online education.

Banglalink, once the most-spirited operator in the country but has since fallen behind in competition, is slipping further for the pandemic.

Google on Monday unveiled a new. more affordable Pixel smartphone and said it would launch models tailored for super-fast 5G networks later this year.

Grameenphone’s net profit tumbled 23.87 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2020 because of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

Mobile phone operators are struggling to retain their active subscribers despite offering lucrative packages, including free minutes, SMS and extra data, as the coronavirus-induced economic downturn has affected all sectors and curtailed people’s income.

The telecom regulator’s restrictions on Grameenphone will remain in effect as the High Court has dropped from its hearing list a writ petition filed by the country’s leading mobile operator in this connection.

Grameenphone has filed a writ petition with the High Court, challenging legality of BTRC’s decision that imposed two new restrictions on the country’s leading mobile operator.

As connectivity through digitalisation has proven worthwhile in keeping socio-economic activities up and running even during the pandemic, entire Bangladesh is running after innovation in this area, said Yasir Azman, chief executive officer of Grameenphone.

Bangladesh yesterday rolled out a contact tracing app on a trial basis to warn users if they have been near someone who later tested positive for the coronavirus and suggest the next course of actions in a bid to flatten the curve on the rogue pathogen.

The number of active internet connections in Bangladesh has crossed the landmark of 10 crore following a surge by 32.69 lakh in March, according to statistics published by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

Robi declares 33GB free data for the next six months to their 27,000 customers who are doctors and registered with the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

In an unprecedented move, the country’s second largest mobile operator yesterday blew off its pent-up resentment against the market leader over its offer of free voice call minutes and bonus data packs on humanitarian grounds during the pandemic.