Mobile telephony in Bangladesh began in 1989 when PBTL (Pacific Bangladesh Telephone Ltd) and BTL (Bangladesh Telecom Ltd) received the country’s first cellular licenses. Initially, mobile services were a luxury, accessible only to affluent users due to high device prices and costly call rates. The industry saw a major breakthrough in 1996 with the arrival of three GSM operators — Grameenphone, Sheba Telecom, and Aktel — who introduced competitive pricing and expanded coverage, making mobile communication available to the wider public.

Over time, the market experienced significant ownership changes and expansions. In 2005, Orascom Telecom of Egypt acquired Sheba Telecom and rebranded it as Banglalink, focusing on aggressive pricing and rural growth. Aktel transformed into Robi Axiata Ltd. following investment by Japan’s NTT DoCoMo in 2008 and later merged with Airtel Bangladesh in 2016. Warid Telecom, launched in 2007 by the UAE’s Abu Dhabi Group, was acquired by India’s Bharti Airtel in 2010 and merged with Robi in 2016, further consolidating the market.

International investments from companies such as Axiata, Telenor, Bharti Airtel, NTT DoCoMo, and Orascom have helped introduce advanced technologies like 3G, 4G, and pilot 5G services, while expanding mobile financial services and improving network reach in rural areas under the supervision of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

Today, Bangladesh’s telecom sector is dominated by four major operators: Grameenphone, Robi Axiata Ltd., Banglalink, and state-owned Teletalk. Together, they serve over 180 million subscribers, positioning Bangladesh as one of the most connected countries in South Asia.