All four mobile network operators in Bangladesh have fallen short of prescribed service quality standards in at least some areas, according to an assessment by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
The regulator’s assessment found shortcomings in network coverage, call drop rates, voice call quality and internet performance across different service indicators.
The gaps were more pronounced at the district and upazila levels than in major urban areas, leaving users in rural and remote parts of the country more exposed to poor-quality mobile services.
The findings also show significant differences among the four operators.
Grameenphone failed to meet prescribed service standards across all indicators at the upazila level, while Robi also recorded shortcomings across multiple indicators.
Banglalink recorded the highest call drop rate in 2G voice calls, while state-owned Teletalk delivered the weakest performance in high-speed internet tests.
The findings highlight a key problem in assessing mobile connectivity: network coverage does not necessarily translate into reliable service.
Mobile network coverage has expanded across almost the entire country. However, users in some districts and upazilas continue to experience weak signals, poor voice quality, dropped calls and slow internet speeds despite having network coverage.
In some locations, customers were able to establish calls but experienced connections being interrupted during conversations. Internet users in several areas also faced slow speeds despite being connected to a network.
The assessment therefore suggests that the presence of a network signal alone is not enough to determine the quality of mobile services.
Network stability, voice quality, call drop rates and actual internet speeds must also be considered, industry stakeholders said.
Banglalink has highest 2G call drop rate
The BTRC assessment found differences in the performance of the four operators in 2G voice services, with Banglalink recording the highest call drop rate.
Dropped calls remain a longstanding complaint among mobile users, particularly when connections are abruptly terminated during conversations.
The problem can be more disruptive in districts and upazilas, where users may have to redial numbers repeatedly.
Frequent call drops can also affect businesses and disrupt services that depend on reliable mobile connectivity, including mobile banking and emergency communications.
Teletalk weakest in high-speed internet
The assessment also found significant differences among operators in high-speed internet performance.
Teletalk recorded the weakest performance among the four operators in the high-speed internet test.
The finding raises questions about the gap between advertised internet speeds and the actual experience of users.
Telecommunications experts said the introduction of new technology alone cannot guarantee high-speed internet.
Adequate spectrum, network capacity, backhaul infrastructure, investment and regular network optimization are also essential for consistent high-speed connectivity.
Large networks also face quality gaps
Grameenphone, which has one of the country’s largest mobile networks, failed to meet prescribed service quality standards across all indicators at the upazila level.
The findings challenge the assumption that extensive network coverage automatically guarantees quality service, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Robi also recorded shortcomings across multiple indicators, showing that operators with extensive networks and large customer bases continue to face challenges in maintaining consistent service quality nationwide.
BTRC moves to independent assessment
A key feature of the latest assessment is that BTRC did not rely solely on quality-of-service data submitted by mobile operators.
Talking to the media, BTRC Director General Brigadier General Shafiqul Azam Parvez said the regulator’s new methodology would provide a more accurate picture of customers’ actual service experience.
Previously, the regulator had largely relied on QoS information submitted by operators, he said.
Under the new system, BTRC is independently assessing network performance using Network Management Systems (NMS), Telecommunications Monitoring Systems (TMS) and drive tests.
According to the BTRC official, the new system reduces the scope for operators to underreport shortcomings and allows the regulator to identify the level of service being provided by each operator in specific areas.
He said the system would also enable BTRC to take action where service quality falls below regulatory standards.
Calls for stronger enforcement
Mohiuddin Ahmed, president of the Mobile Phone Consumers Association, said publishing assessment reports alone would not reduce customers’ suffering.
He called for stronger enforcement against operators that fail to meet prescribed service standards.
BTRC should move beyond paper-based monitoring and impose visible fines and other effective sanctions on operators that fail to provide adequate services, he said.
Customers regularly pay for mobile services, yet many users in rural and remote areas do not receive the quality of service they expect, Ahmed said.
The regulator needs to take a tougher approach to address the problem, he added.
Greater transparency needed
Telecommunications experts also called for greater transparency in the publication of QoS assessment results.
They said BTRC should regularly publish operator- and location-specific data showing the quality of services available in different districts and upazilas.
Such information would allow consumers to make better-informed choices while putting greater pressure on operators to improve network performance.
Experts identified three measures as particularly important for improving services in rural and remote areas: regular independent assessments, transparent publication of performance data, and effective enforcement against operators that fail to meet regulatory standards.
BTRC’s new assessment methodology therefore represents an important shift in the monitoring of mobile service quality.
However, its ultimate effectiveness will depend on whether the regulator takes visible and meaningful action against operators for the shortcomings identified in its assessments.