After a successful field trial, the state-owned mobile phone network Teletalk and the private mobile operator Banglalink announced this week a pilot program for a new 'Active Sharing (Roaming)' service to share telecom infrastructure, aiming to improve network and customer experience.
Introduction of Active Sharing (Roaming)
TelecomTalk reported in November last year that Banglalink and Teletalk had initiated a field trial of roaming services to enhance coverage in certain regions of the country. At that time, the operators said in the first phase, postpaid voice and SMS services in specific regions were being tested.
This initiative will now allow Teletalk subscribers to seamlessly switch to the Banglalink network in areas with coverage gaps, enabling Teletalk to enhance its coverage and service quality through Banglalink's network infrastructure within those areas, according to local media reports citing an official press release.
Also Read: Banglalink and Teletalk Start National Roaming Trial for Enhanced Connectivity
The State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology announced this service at the Independence Day event at the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) Auditorium in the ICT Tower, Agargaon.
Reportedly, during the two-month pilot period, 2,000 selected Teletalk postpaid and prepaid subscribers will have access to the Active Sharing (Roaming) service, enjoying seamless Voice, SMS, and Data Services through Banglalink's 4G network across Bangladesh.
This marks the first time in Bangladesh's history that two telecom service providers have collaborated to actively share network infrastructure, the local media reports said.
"This agreement empowers Teletalk subscribers to utilise our network, featuring over 16,000 towers nationwide. Recently, we have doubled our network coverage nationwide," Banglalink said, noting that its 4G subscribers grew by 24.5 percent to 20 million.
Looking ahead, upon the successful completion of the piloting, Banglalink and Teletalk will collaborate on the nationwide commercial launch of the Active Sharing (Roaming) service in the days ahead.
Banglalink Receives Unified License
Earlier in March, Veon reported that its subsidiary serving Bangladesh, Banglalink, had received a unified license from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
The newly issued license combines existing authorisations to use 2G, 3G, and 4G standards, making Banglalink's licenses technology-agnostic across these three generations, and it can also be used for the rollout of future technologies, Veon said. This simplifies and streamlines license renewal to a single process.
This unified license also facilitates the active sharing of infrastructure resources between operators, provides clearer guidelines on data retention, offers more clarity regarding the audit period, and rationalises various fees and charges, the company said.
