Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
The number of mobile phone subscribers in Bangladesh rose modestly in May, with Grameenphone, Robi Axiata, and state-owned Teletalk all gaining users, according to the latest data released by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
Internet subscriptions also showed an upward trend during the period, driven by growth in mobile internet use.
As of May, the total number of mobile subscribers stood at 187.61 million, up from 186.64 million in April-an increase of nearly 0.52 per cent. Grameenphone added the highest number of users, reaching 86.17 million from 85.48 million in the previous month.
Robi Axiata followed, growing from 56.60 million to 56.98 million, while Teletalk's subscriber base edged up to 6.58 million from 6.56 million. Banglalink, however, saw a slight decline in its customer base, falling from 38.00 million to 37.88 million.
In terms of internet subscriptions, the total user base rose to 132.00 million in May from 130.86 million in April, registering a 0.87 per cent rise.
Mobile internet accounted for the bulk of this growth, climbing to 117.68 million users from 116.54 million in the previous month. The number of ISP and PSTN subscribers remained unchanged at 14.32 million.
The industry had been witnessing a declining trend in both mobile and internet subscriptions since June last year. Over that period, nearly nine million mobile subscribers and 10 million internet users were lost. However, the past few months have marked a reversal, with both segments showing a steady rebound in user numbers.
bdsmile@gmail.com