Teletalk facing network scarcity

Customers scraping Teletalk SIMs

Staff Correspondent : Under a photocard of the ‘Minute Bundle’ offer recently posted on Teletalk’s verified official Facebook page, a Teletalk SIM customer named Eamon complained, “I have SIM but can’t get network because there is no tower.” So, I can’t use Teletalk SIM.
Another person named Sadeq Hossain Hriday commented, “Fix the network first.”
Another person named Sajib Ahmed complained and wrote, “Teletalk internet can’t be used in Jhenaidah District and Sessions Judge’s court area, the building of the court building and the lawyer’s association building, the office of the District Commissioner, the office of the Superintendent of Police and various important government facilities. Problems making calls between rooms in the building. The correct network is not available. Request to the authorities, take necessary steps to solve the problem.
Teletalk has lost about three lakh subscribers in the last one year
Hundreds of such customers constantly voiced their various complaints about Teletalk’s network system in the comments of various posts on Teletalk’s official Facebook page. Each comment on these complaints is replayed in the following pattern-
Dear customer, what kind of problem are you facing?

1. Dropping calls?
2. Can’t get network after power outage?
3. Since when are you having network problems?
4. Does the emergency call come in? How long does it last?
5. Please help us with your Teletalk number and contact number along with the detailed address of the area where you are facing network problem.
   Thank you for staying with Teletalk. Stay tuned.
   Some answer these questions with great interest and some don’t. However, neither of these two classes get a solution. None of the victims confirmed that these issues were subsequently resolved by contacting anyone.
   Many customers also complain that Teletalk network is not available in Dhaka itself. A customer named Masudur Rahman writes, I can’t finish using 1 GB net from the main point in Dhaka. Because, their (Teletalk) net does not come anywhere in and out of the room, only goes.
   In response to this complaint, Teletalk ended its duty by writing the same words. Of course, numerous such complaints about Teletalk’s internet data or voice call network have become a routine matter. Many customers are turning away from Teletalk due to ‘paracetamol 2 times’ policy for all ailments without solving these problems. Many people regret not being able to take advantage of various voice offers and internet data usage at affordable prices – say those concerned.
   It is known that the first mobile phone was introduced in Bangladesh in April 1993. Since then, Bangladesh has progressed a long way in the journey of achieving excellence in modern technology in keeping with the world. As a result, from urban areas to rural areas, mobile phones are now the winner. According to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) data, as of November 2023, about 193.6 million people in the country are currently connected to wireless networks.
   Four organizations are now providing commercial telecommunication (voice, SMS, internet data) services in Bangladesh. They are – Grameenphone, Robi Axiata, Banglalink and Teletalk. Among them, Teletalk Bangladesh is the only state-owned mobile network operator. The company started its journey on 26 December 2004 as a public company registered under the ‘Registrar of Joint Stock Companies’. Since that time, Teletalk has been serving as a mobile network operator under the control of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology and under the control of the Department of Posts and Telecommunications. People of the country are getting mobile voice, SMS, internet data and other ancillary services through Teletalk.
   However, despite being a state-owned and old company, Teletalk Bangladesh has not been able to keep pace with other private companies doing business in the country or other foreign-backed operators for a long time. Although the number of subscribers of other mobile operators has increased over the years, Teletalk has not increased in that proportion.
   Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) published statistics also revealed the plight of Teletalk. According to the data, the number of Teletalk subscribers in the country was 6.56 million in November 2021, which increased to 6.73 million in November 2022 and finally reached 6.46 million in November 2023.
   On the contrary, private institutions
   Robi had 53.72 million customers in the country in November 2021, which increased to 54.54 million in November 2022 and finally stood at 58.38 million in November.
   In November 2021, Grameenphone had 84.04 millionsubscribers in the country, which increased to 80.34 million in November 2022 and finally reached 82.14 million in November 2023.
   Banglalink had 37.21 million subscribers in the country in November 2021, which increased to 39.46 million in November 2022 and lastly reached 43.38 million in November 2023.
   In November 2021, Grameenphone had 84.04 million subscribers in the country, which increased to 80.34 million in November 2022 and finally reached 82.14 million in November 2023.
   In other words, all the statistics show that the domestic operator Teletalk Bangladesh is lagging behind in the number of customers compared to other customers. Although the number of subscribers of other operators has increased at various times, Teletalk has not been able to attract subscribers compared to that.
   All in all, not having enough network facilities, internet data not working properly, not having enough recharge points and not being able to provide the desired customer service despite the promise of 3G network across the country are coming up as major reasons for Teletalk not being able to create customers.
   Most customers complain about network
   Last Thursday (January 18) morning, Teletalk’s official Facebook page posted the offer of ’10 GB for just Tk 97 for 7 days’. Many customers from different parts of the country complain about network complexity. A person named Sohel Mia said that the net is a problem here in North Matlab police station of Chandpur district. If you solve the net problem in this area, the customer will benefit. He also complained that he could not use internet data properly due to network problems.
   Many others there complain about network complications. They say that at present the private institutions are far ahead of the government institutions in the telecommunication sector. Due to Teletalk’s network issue, customers took up Teletalk SIM with great interest but later most of the customers turned away from it.
   A Teletalk SIM subscriber named Russell, a resident of Chandpur, said, “I like Teletalk a lot because of the affordable price.” Apart from this, it is recognized by all as a domestic and government institution. But most of the time there is network problem. If this is solved, the common people will be more interested in using Teletalk. In this the country’s wealth will remain in the country and the government will also get revenue.
   WhyTeletalk launched
   The state-owned company Teletalk Bangladesh Limited says that Teletalk is providing various telecom products and digital services at affordable prices to meet the telecommunication needs of people of different classes and professions in the country. As a state mobile network operator, not only working with the aim of making profit, but to bring the people of all parts of the country under the modern telecommunication network, Teletalk is working to expand the mobile network in the remote and remote areas of the country such as Haor region, island region, hilly and coastal region.
   Originally, the Government of Bangladesh established Teletalk with four objectives. They are-
6. Providing mobile telecommunication services to the people of the country through government institutions.
7. Protecting public interest by ensuring healthy market competition between the private and public sectors.
8. To provide telecommunication services to remote and remote areas of the country that are deprived of mobile telephone network such as Hawar region, island region, hilly and coastal people.
9. Creating new sources of government revenue.
   Teletalk also says that Teletalk is constantly expanding its network to meet the rapidly growing mobile telecommunication demand. Despite the limitations of investment required for network expansion, most of the highways including 64 districts, 402 upazilas of the country have already come under the coverage of Teletalk.
   Apart from this, Teletalk network establishment and strengthening of existing network is underway in the remote and inaccessible haor, island, coastal and hilly areas of the country.
   But in the competitive market in the current information technology and telecommunication sector, none of these objectives or mission-vision can match with the private operators. The state-owned operator Teletalk is unable to come out of the critical situation.
   What officials say
   In this regard, Teletalk Bangladesh Chairman and Secretary of Post and Telecommunication Department, Abu Hena Morshed Zaman, tried to contact several times, but he did not pick up the phone. A text message to his number did not get any response.
   An attempt was made to contact Shireen Akter, Additional General Manager of Teletalk Bangladesh. He did not pick up the phone after calling several times. Didn’t get a response even sent a small message.
   Lately, Zeenat Ara, director of the board of directors of Teletalk Bangladesh Limited and additional secretary of the post and telecommunication department, refused to talk about it.
   However, these matters will be looked at seriously – this has been assured by the new Minister of State for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Junaid Ahmed Palak. He said, “I have come to a new position. I will visit these institutions soon and take necessary measures.
   However, last Wednesday (January 17) he gave a strong message in the discussion meeting with the officials of Teletalk Bangladesh. The state minister said, ‘We will encourage and reward those who are good for Teletalk and whose performance is good. We must punish those who are dangerous and harmful to the company. I will not give a chance to correct it.
   Pointing out that ‘corruption-free, honest, transparent, and accountability – these four principles should be followed’, he further said, ‘If any officer-employee of Teletek is involved in any irregularity, if any complaint is found, then he will be punished directly. No corrections will be allowed. I believe, the number of good officers and employees is more in Telet. Dishonest, lazy, negligent – the number of such officers and employees is small. Care should be taken that there is no loss to the Teletalk company or the country for those few officers and employees.