The number of mobile subscribers in Bangladesh has increased from 4.0 million to 10.02 million registering a growth of nearly 150 per cent during the last one year after the announcement of new discount packages by the telecom operators.
The new packages containing special facilities including offers like absolutely free calls or free calls after first minute and reduced connection charges pushed the number of the country's mobile subscribers above the 10 million mark, market and company sources affirmed.
"The number of subscribers of GrameenPhone has increased from 2.40 million to 5.50 million, AKTEL from 2.20 million 3.0 million, Banglalink from 300,000 to 1.0 million and CityCell from 300,000 to 500,000 within a span of only three months, company sources said.
CityCell made the announcement of absolutely free call into its own network during off-peak hours (from 11pm to 8am) during the middle of October this year followed by GrameenPhone's djuice-djuice.
GP made the announcement of absolutely free calls from djuice (mobile brand of GP) to djuice connection after the first minute during off-peak hours that starts at 12am and ends at 6am. This was 10pm to 6am previously and at daytime call charge is Tk 2.76 among djuice subscribers.
Following this, AKTEL, the second largest cell operator, has recently introduced free calls from AKTEL to AKTEL and now offering two new packages "AKTEL Exceed" and "AKTEL Joy" containing two SIMs in a single pack.
In AKTEL Exceed free calls during off-peak hours start from 12 midnight and end at 8am with a connection charge of only Tk 1.0 excluding indirect tax, Value Added Tax (VAT).
But in case of "AKTEL Joy" free calls between the two SIMs continues throughout the day just after the very first minute costing the customers only Tk 2.87.
Without any free call offer, the number of Banglalink subscribers has increased due to its affordable connection charge and various packages offered.
With 2.0 million subscribers Teletalk is in the fifth position. Call charge from T&T to Teletalk has been proposed to be increases from Tk 1.5 for five minutes to Tk 1.5 for every minute to avoid call congestion.
After the introduction of this call charge, the structure the existing zone system of Teletalk in case of T&T incoming will be removed and the whole country will be considered a single zone.
Compared to previous connection prices at present mobile companies are marketing SIM at reduced prices ranging from Tk 200 to Tk 550. Now, djuice SIM is priced at Tk 450 which was Tk 1,100, AKTEL Exceed SIM is priced at Tk 550 and AKTEL Joy pack containing two SIM is priced at Tk 400 only.
CityCell, the CDM-based cell operator, is also offering lucrative facilities. Now, CityCell is marketing new packages at prices ranging from Tk 2,499 to Tk 3,999, which was Tk 3,499.0 and 5,499.
Author: Bazlur Rahman, Bangladesh
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