Decision to ban import, production suspended for three months

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has suspended its decision to ban the import, production, and marketing of single-band Wi-Fi routers, granting a three-month grace period in public interest.

In a circular issued recently, the Spectrum Division of the BTRC stated that the directive -- originally scheduled to take effect from April -- has been put on hold until August 4.

The directive mandated that all ISM band Wi-Fi routers must support both the 2.4-2.483 GHz and 5.725-5.850 GHz frequency bands.

The initial decision, announced in November 2024, was aimed at enhancing the quality of broadband services by phasing out outdated single-band routers that primarily operate on the 2.4 GHz band.

The BTRC argued that dual-band routers, which also support the 5 GHz band, are necessary to ensure high-speed, uninterrupted internet -- particularly as user demand rises due to the growing use of smart devices and bandwidth-intensive applications.

Director of the Spectrum Division Dr. Md. Sohel Rana said the temporary suspension is intended to allow a review of the earlier decision, following concerns from industry stakeholders about rising device costs due to the ban.

"After the three-month suspension, the BTRC will decide whether the ban will continue or be revised," he added.

While the earlier move had been welcomed by telecom experts as timely and essential for improving last-mile connectivity, the new circular provides stakeholders with a transition window to adapt to the proposed changes.

The regulator has cited "public interest" as the reason for the temporary suspension but has not provided further details.

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