Telecom operator Banglalink has launched eSIM to allow customers to avail of its digital services without having to use a physical SIM card. The service was launched at a ceremony in Dhaka Thursday (December 22, 2022). Read more: Banglalink's parent company VEON's CEO to arrive in Dhaka Friday Customers will be able to use two profiles simultaneously on their eSIM-enabled devices. A physical SIM can be used along with an eSIM as well. Banglalink customers with eligible devices can migrate to eSIM by visiting any Banglalink Center in the country. Upanga Dutta, chief commercial officer of Banglalink, said: "As part of our digital operator strategy, we strive to simplify our customers’ digital lifestyles with smart solutions. eSIM will allow them to remain connected and use our digital services in a more hassle-free way." Read More: Top 8 International Sim Cards in Bangladesh

"Despite solid revenue growth and a steady rise in subscriber base," telecom operator Robi has reported a loss of Tk12.16 crore in the April-June quarter of this year due to the devaluation of taka against dollar.   The company's loss per share was Tk0.02 in that quarter, while its earnings per share were Tk0.09 at the same time a year ago, according to the unaudited financial statements. In Q2, the telecom operator's revenue was Tk2,105 crore, but due to changes in forex, it ended up losing Tk12.2 crore. Had it not been for the forex changes, the telecom operator said its profit after tax (PAT) for the period would have been Tk86.13 crore. Robi's revenue for the first six months of 2022 stood at Tk4,124 crore and PAT at Tk28 crore. Were it not for the losses induced by the forex changes, Robi's PAT figure for the first six months would have been Tk131.88 crore, the company said. Read: Robi unveils new digital brand Compared to the last quarter, the company’s revenue increased by 4.3 percent. And revenue grew by 3.7 percent compared to the same quarter of 2021. Voice revenue grew 4.6 percent compared to the last quarter and by 11.8 percent compared to the same quarter of last year. Data revenue grew by 3.7 percent compared to the last quarter. It dropped by 4.5 percent compared to the same quarter last year. Robi's subscriber base grew by 0.8 percent compared to last quarter, reaching 5.45 crore 45 at the end of the second quarter. Compared to the same quarter last year, the subscriber base grew by 5.2 percent. Robi's Acting CEO and CFO, M Riyaaz Rasheed said: "Losing our hard-earned profit to the devaluation of taka against the dollar is very painful. Since we rely on the international market to source telecom equipment, forex volatility is a major concern for us at the moment."

Telecom operator Grameenphone has joined the government's austerity moves to curb its energy consumption and carbon footprint. The Grameenphone headquarters will be non-operational every Thursday, and employees will work from home. Syed Tanvir Husain, chief human resources officer of Grameenphone, said: "The world is going through one of the grave energy crises in recent times. This unprecedented long period of high energy prices and the supply shortage is exerting tremendous pressure on all economies, resulting in consequences in our lives." Read: Grameenphone reports 5.2% revenue growth in 1st half "During these trying times, we have proactively adopted contingency ways of work to curb electricity consumption in solidarity with the government's prudent efforts to navigate the challenges." "Our latest operating model, integration of AI and RPA through modernisation, has enabled our employees to work from home, ensuring smooth operations for our customers," Tanvir added. The government has been taking several energy-conservation measures to mitigate the power crunch and urged people to cooperate and be economical in energy consumption as it is forced to carry out load shedding and limit electricity generation with fuel prices continuously increasing globally. 

Telecom operator Grameenphone has reported revenues of Tk7,421.8 crore for the first six months of 2022, logging a growth of 5.2 percent from the same period last year. In the second quarter, the company acquired 0.9 million new subscribers, reaching 84.6 million subscribers at the end of the first half. Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman said: "We continued to expand our network and spectrum rollout, reaching over 18.4K 4G sites within the first half of 2022. Driven by enhanced network experience and innovative products, our subscribers grew by 3.2 percent year-on-year to 84.6 million while 4G users grew by 32.7 percent from last year, reaching 31.5 million." Read: GP experiences revenue hike "Top-line improvement continued as we wrap up the first half of 2022 supported by growth in revenue and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). Total revenues registered a growth of 5.2 percent, reaching Tk7,421.8 crore for the first six months," Jens Becker, CFO of Grameenphone, said. "In the first half, subscription and traffic revenues grew by 5.6 percent from last year. The data segment continued as the key driver behind our performance, with a 5.7 percent growth in data users and 52.9 percent growth in data usage." "In the first half, EBITDA grew by 3 percent year-on-year driven by top-line growth, with a 61.1 percent  EBITDA margin. Net profit after tax improved to Tk1,730.5 crore, with a margin of 23.3 percent," Jens said. Read Grameenphone, Banglalink main competitors in service quality, capabilities: Opensignal "We are pleased to announce that the board of directors recommended an interim dividend of Tk12.50 per share for our shareholders at the board meeting held on July 17, 2021." During the second quarter of 2022, Grameenphone invested Tk560.2 crore in network coverage and expansion. At the end of the quarter, the operator's total number of sites stood at 19,439. The company paid Tk5,430 crore equaling 73.1 percent of its total revenues, to the national exchequer in the form of taxes, VAT, duties, fees, 4G licence and spectrum assignment during the first half of 2022, according to a media statement. Read Grameenphone helps 11,000 mango farmers, entrepreneurs understand online business better

Robi Axiata Limited has unveiled a new digital brand, ‘Robi for Business’, for its enterprise business customers.  The brand unveiling ceremony was held at a city hotel recently, the telecom operator said in a statement on Tuesday.  With the help of the brand, Robi's enterprise customers will be able to digitalize their business activities. To this end, the operator will provide state-of-the-art digital solutions to customers. Also Read: Tamim becomes Robi brand ambassador The key feature of Robi for the business brand would be to serve the enterprise customers with reliable, innovative, and tailor-made digital solutions supported by advanced and customized customer services with the tagline “Your partner in digital transformation”. Robi acting CEO and chief financial officer M Riyaaz Rasheed said, “Launching of Robi for business marks the formal beginning of our journey beyond connectivity business. Partnering with the highly renowned local and global tech giants and supported by a highly-skilled digital workforce, we are now fully prepared to serve our valued customers in the enterprise sector in their digital transformation journey. We look forward to all your support and patronage in the coming days.” Read Robi's Binge available in 120-plus countries

With the devastating flood in the country's northern and north-east still threatening millions of lives and livelihoods, Grameenphone customers, stuck in the affected areas of Sylhet can now avail of 10 minutes of free talk-time. The telecom operator already disbursed 10-minute free talk-time with three days validity to all its customers in the flood-affected areas in Sylhet. During these challenging times, the need for immediate connectivity is paramount but customers face difficulty recharging due to the flood and incessant downpour. Read Hans Martin new Grameenphone chief corporate affairs officer "It is our moral responsibility to assist those who are stranded and stand by the nation during these times of dire need. We understand our customers' urgent connectivity needs to reach out for any assistance. We are closely monitoring the situation on the field and will remain vigilant going forward to provide connectivity support," said Mohammad Sajjad Hasib, chief marketing officer of Grameenphone. The flood condition has now been persisting for the past four to five days, with at least 40 lakh people stranded and stuck helpless. Mobile network and internet connectivity services also had to be compromised in the region due to water logging and electricity failure. Also read: Grameenphone observes Green Week 2022 However, in collaboration with the Posts and Telecommunications Division, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, Bangladesh Army and other stakeholders, Grameenphone is working continuously to overcome the crisis and restore mobile services in the flood-affected region in the earliest alongside exploring alternative feasible solutions to enable the nation to fight the calamity.