Robi Axiata PLC has completed a major upgrade of its mobile network across Greater Dhaka, saying the investment has delivered faster data speeds, improved voice quality and stronger indoor coverage in Bangladesh’s most data-intensive market.
The telecommunications operator said more than 4,800 sites across Greater Dhaka, including Gazipur, Savar, Manikganj and Narayanganj, have been modernised as part of its nationwide network transformation programme. The company said the work was carried out with virtually no disruption to customers.
Robi said the upgraded network, based on next-generation GIGA GREEN 4G and 5G-ready equipment, has improved customer experience by up to 125% at cluster level, while call drops have fallen by 20%.
Customers across Greater Dhaka and Gazipur are also experiencing three times better deep-indoor coverage and connectivity quality, according to the operator.
The new equipment is designed to be more energy efficient, with Robi reporting a 20% reduction in energy consumption per gigabyte of data. The company said the improvement supports its wider sustainability objectives as demand for mobile data continues to grow.
The Dhaka upgrade is part of a broader national programme, with only a small number of districts now at the final stage of modernisation. Robi said it would increasingly focus on strengthening network capacity in semi-urban areas, where demand is rising rapidly.
The improved network is also expected to benefit users of Cirkle, Robi’s youth-focused digital lifestyle brand, particularly those using data-intensive services such as video streaming, gaming and social media.
Robi Chief Technology Officer Perihane Elhamy Ahmed Metaweh outlined the results of the Dhaka modernisation programme at an event at the company’s corporate office in Tejgaon on Wednesday.
The event was attended by Faqir Mahbub Anam, MP, Minister for Post and Telecommunication, ICT Division and Ministry of Science and Technology; Rehan Asif Asad, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology; and Major General (Retd.) Md Emdad Ul Bari, Chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
Robi Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ziad Shatara and members of the company’s senior leadership team also attended.
Faqir Mahbub Anam said continued investment by mobile operators would be important as Bangladesh seeks to expand the economic benefits of digitalisation.
“Our Government is driving towards a trillion-dollar economy powered by private sector investment,” he said. “I am encouraged to see Robi investing significantly in its network to offer better quality of service.”
He congratulated Robi on the milestone but added that operators would need to maintain investment in their networks as demand for connectivity grows.
Rehan Asif Asad said network quality was increasingly becoming a key point of competition in Bangladesh’s telecommunications sector.
“As the industry matures, quality of service has become the key differentiator,” he said, welcoming Robi’s investment in upgrading its Dhaka network.