Mobile phone operators Grameenphone (GP) and Warid Telecom have recently struck a deal to share their telecom infrastructure.
The operators, which together take up nearly 50 percent of the country’s total mobile subscriber market, say the move is aimed at expanding networks rapidly while reducing deployment and maintenance costs.
The parties signed the deal at the Grameenphone headquarters in the city last Sunday. Top officials from both the companies were present on the occasion.
“We operate in a country with the lowest tariff but we have to part with the same expenses as other operators in other countries when it comes to buying equipment in an international market,” Grameenphone CEO Oddvar Hesjedal said while underlining the need for infrastructure sharing in the telecom industry.
“We will see more sharing and more cooperation among the operators in the coming years because all of us have to cut costs as much as possible,” he added.
Since the telecom regulator, BTRC, unveiled an infrastructure sharing guideline in late 2008, a number of telecom operators have teamed up with each other for network sharing.
Earlier this year, Grameenphone inked similar deals with Banglalink and Aktel, while Warid signed network sharing agreements with Citycell, Teletalk and state-run BTCL.
“It is a win-win accord for both parties which will help increase the country’s tele-density. This is going to help us serve our customers cost-effectively with wider coverage and greater capacity,” said Warid CEO Chris Tobit.
Since partnering with Indian telecom giant Bharti Airtel Limited, Warid, the latest arrival in Bangladesh’s telecom market, has been focusing on rapid expansion of its network coverage.
Such agreements will also drive the growth of telecom industry further in a more environment friendly manner by reducing proliferation of towers and facilities installation, the officials of the operators said.
