Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Bangladesh’s mobile phone users are ready for third generation (3G) service thanks to significant growth of the internet users in urban area to 20 percent by 2011 up from 3.0 percent in 2007.
Global technology vendor Ericson focused the issue on Thursday after a study on Bangladesh telecom consumer market for last five years to know the fundamental values and attitudes of the country’s people to Information Communication Technology (ICT).
The study found that only 58 percent urban mobile consumers are aware of internet connectivity while the per cent is 39 in rural areas. Among the urban people, 17 percent mobile subscribers use internet for social network while 18 percent browse internet for different purposes.
According to the telecom regulator data, nearly 30 million mobile consumers use internet in their handsets. The reduction in call tariffs and an increase in the number of “Friends and Family” offerings are among the contributing factors to increased usage, the Ericson study noted.
Vishnu Singh, Regional Head of ConsumerLab for Ericsson in the Southeast Asia and Oceania region, unveiled the report through a video conference held at its office in the capital Dhaka on Thursday.
According to the report, 94 percent mobile users have their own handsets while 5.0 percent use mobile service by sharing and 33 per cent have more than one handset and those who have more than one SIM card they use mostly dual SIM enabled handsets.
However, the study shows that the country’s mobile communications sector has made significant progress both in the voice and data market during the last five years from 2007 to 2011 despite having different barriers.
Of the mobile users, 81 percent use one SIM while 15 percent two SIMs and 4.0 percent three SIMs, the study said, added that the number of successful call is 71 while unsuccessful call number is 12 and the number of miss call is 17.
The Ericson official Mr Singh said they found the same trend of mobile users in India and Pakistan but the rate is highest in Bangladesh comparatively.
BBN/SSR/AD-27Apr12-11:50 pm (BST)
