Mobile services in Bangladesh could face disruptions on April 1 and April 7 due to the rearrangement of the new spectrum recently purchased by mobile operators.
After rearrangement, the three mobile operators -- Grameenphone, Robi, and Banglalink -- will use their new 27.4 MHz spectrum from April 9.
Before using that, they have to set up everything for changing, transferring, and adjusting the new spectrum with the existing spectrum, which is likely to disrupt mobile services on the two days.
The operators also have to check for interference before using the spectrum, they told Dhaka Tribune.
Due to spectrum rearrangement activities, mobile network and mobile internet services may face temporary disruption at certain times of the mentioned days, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) said in a press release issued on Wednesday.
In the first phase, from April 1 to 2, the 1800MHz spectrum band will be rearranged and in the second phase from April 7 to 8, the 2100MHz spectrum band will be rearranged.
Mobile phone services may be disrupted from 11pm on April 1 to 7am on April 2 in the first phase. In the second phase, mobile services may be disrupted from 11pm on April 7 to 7am on April 8.
The BTRC apologised for the temporary inconvenience to customers in the press release.
A total of 27.4 MHz new spectrums, including 7.4MHz in the 1800MHz band and 20MHz in the 2100 MHz band was allocated to Grameenphone, Robi, and Banglalink on March 8 through an auction.
The spectrums will be rearranged to merge the new spectrum allotted in the auction with the previously allocated spectrums.
With the addition of the new spectrum, Grameenphone has 47.4MHz, Robi has 44MHz, Banglalink has 40MHz. As Teletalk was not allocated new spectrum in the auction, it still has 25.2MHz.