Private mobile operators Grameenphone, Robi, and Banglalink have reduced the price of their seven-day 1GB internet packages to the same level as the previous three-day 1GB packages as per the instructions of the government.
Leaders of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (Amtob) told Dhaka Tribune that there has been a restructuring, resulting in a reduction of about 30%.
The operators have introduced new packages by reorganizing data plans since midnight on Friday, said an insider.
Robi, for instance, is now offering a seven-day package at the price of their previous three-day package. Grameenphone, on the other hand, has adjusted the price to be only Tk2 higher than the previous three-day package.
Airtel, having merged with Banglalink and Robi, chose to increase the data in the seven-day package without decreasing the price.
According to the updated packages on the operators' websites, the 1GB data package, priced at Tk48 with three days of validity before October 15, is now available with a seven-day validity. Operators initially charged Tk68 for the seven-day package.
Grameenphone's seven-day 1GB package is now available at Tk48.
Banglalink, previously offering a 0.5GB data package with three days of validity at Tk42, started selling the seven-day package at Tk69 from October 15. It is now offering 2GB of data without reducing the price.
Airtel, which initially offered 1GB data at Tk42 and one and a 0.5GB data at Tk49 for three days, raised the price to Tk68 for a seven-day package from October 15. They are now also offering 2GB of data with seven days of validity for Tk68..
Talking with Dhaka Tribune, Amtob leaders said that operators updated their Internet product portfolios as per the instructions of the regulatory body Bangladesh Telecommunication and Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on October 15, despite facing major business challenges.
Unfortunately, after only 15 days, new instructions were issued to change the product portfolio again.
Earlier, Post and Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar directed all mobile operators in the country to reduce the prices of some internet packages by November 10. Later, the BTRC sent a letter to all operators in this regard.
According to the instructions, state-owned mobile operator Teletalk first reduced the price of nine internet packages.
Later, the three private operators also adjusted their package prices gradually from Friday midnight.
