13 October 2025
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is preparing to hold an auction for 700-MHz spectrum early next year, although the availability of the full spectrum block remains uncertain due to a pending court case that could influence operator participation..jpg?lu=312)
According to local media, the BTRC intends to auction approximately 45 MHz of spectrum in the 703- to 803-MHz range in January 2026, aiming to enhance 4G network capacity and expand 5G coverage across the country.
However, part of the spectrum is currently tied up in a legal dispute involving broadband provider AlwaysOn Network Bangladesh Ltd, which holds 12 MHz of spectrum in that band. AlwaysOn was awarded the 700-MHz spectrum in 2007, before the band was globally harmonized for mobile telecom services. The BTRC later cancelled this allocation and offered alternative spectrum in the 5-GHz band, prompting AlwaysOn to sue the regulator over the cancellation. The case is now before the Appellate Division, but a hearing date has not yet been set, as the court has been on vacation. Until a judgment is reached, the 12 MHz spectrum remains under AlwaysOn’s control.
The BTRC has already applied to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications to proceed with the auction and plans to offer at least 25 MHz of the 700-MHz spectrum in January. Should AlwaysOn lose its appeal, the authority intends to auction the full 45 MHz block. The three main operators — Grameenphone, Robi Axiata, and Banglalink — have expressed a preference for the entire spectrum to be released for auction, emphasizing that fragmented sales could hinder rural coverage, increase costs, and weaken efforts toward digital inclusion.
Telcos have also voiced concerns over the base price set at BDT2.63 billion per MHz, which they consider prohibitively high and likely to slow network expansion plans. Taimur Rahman, Banglalink’s chief corporate and regulatory affairs officer, cited a recent GSMA study suggesting that lower spectrum prices could accelerate digital adoption in Bangladesh. If the auction proceeds as planned, it will be the first major spectrum auction in Bangladesh since 2022, when operators paid BDT106.4 billion for spectrum in the 2.3-GHz and 2.6-GHz bands.
