Robi, a private mobile phone operator, on Monday blamed Grameenphone for creating unhealthy competition in the name of corporate social responsibility (CSR) linked to Covid-19.
Robi’s Managing Director and CEO Mahtab Uddin Ahmed made the statement and clarified Robi’s approach in fighting Covid-19 at a digital press conference.
“As a market leader, the company(GP) is misusing the power. It is an aggressive marketing and there is no sign of CSR. They are doing it to get back the customers. It is nothing but a marketing practice” said Mahtab Uddin Ahmed.
Grameen Phone Ltd is the market leader with 75.86 million subscribers, while Robi is the second largest operator with 49.61 million customers.
They were targeting high value customers such as doctors, said Mahtab, referring to GP’s recent huge offer for target subscribers.
Recently, GP announced 100 million free minutes for 10 million customers, 30GB internet at Tk1 for 25,000 doctors certified by DGHS, 48p call rate for over 75 million customers, 100% data bonus on weekly data packs, and 100 million safety-net credit scheme to affected retailers.
Mahtab expressed its utter dismay over the regulator’s approval of offer introduced by the market leader that allows high value subscribers like medical professionals to get 30GB data for only Tk1.
This unhealthy competition and aggressive marketing in the name of CSR would hurt the small players and destroy the market dynamics, he added.
Despite having revenue shortfall of around Tk4 crore a day, Robi decided to reduce data price by as much as 60% in selected packs, voice price was also revised downwards considerably, said Mahtab.
During the covid-19, the operator saw 20% drop in voice revenue and 6% in data revenue, the operator claimed.
Talking on CSR, Mahtab said the company already spent more around Tk170 crore, of which Tk90 crore as pure CSR and sustainability initiatives and another Tk80 crore as marketing led initiatives.
It also plans providing 10-minute talk-time and 50 MB data for free to subscribers who used to recharge regularly but have ceased to do so following the Corona crisis.
Robi will further pursue aggressive data bundle offers to counter market leader’s move.
