City Desk:
Three-day mobile data packs are set to be reintroduced in a move that could significantly impact mobile data usage across the country as indicated by State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, Zunaid Ahmed Palak. The announcement came during a meeting held today with mobile operators and other stakeholders.
Sources present at the meeting disclosed that one-day data packages are also under consideration for reintroduction, according to media reports. This potential policy shift follows the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission’s (BTRC) directive from September last year, which required mobile operators to reduce their data package offerings from 95 to 40 and set a minimum duration of seven days for any data package.
The BTRC’s order, implemented on 15 October 2023, led to a substantial decrease in the sales of data packages, with approximately 70% of the previously sold packages being for three days or less. Consequently, the number of mobile internet users experienced a negative growth trend over the following months.
To address these issues, the BTRC conducted a user survey focusing on the time limits of data packages. The survey results underscored the importance of customer convenience, revealing a strong preference among users for shorter-duration data packages.
As the discussions around reintroducing three-day and one-day data packages progress, the mobile telecommunications sector and its users await further announcements. The potential reinstatement of these data packages is anticipated to enhance user satisfaction and drive growth in mobile internet usage.
