Telecom giant Telenor Group is upbeat on Bangladesh's growth prospect in internet penetration, said a top official yesterday.
Jon Fredrik Baksaas, president and chief executive of Telenor, the majority stakeholder in Grameenphone, said there would be a 25 percent rate of internet penetration in Bangladesh within a few months.
"We, from Telenor Group, are very eager to move on that line," he said. "We have a long-term ambition to deepen and widen the network and also bring in the skill that the group can offer to Grameenphone."
Baksaas was speaking to journalists after a meeting with Finance Minister AMA Muhith at his secretariat office in Dhaka.
"We have seen the telecom sector in Bangladesh moving much more rapidly than one could have expected if we go 10 years back," he said. "Now it is a hectic sector, which really has a potential to get people connected."
He said a majority of Bangladeshis have voice and sms services. "We will reach out for internet access in the coming years."
He hopes the number of internet-users would rise as the number of people using mobile phones is increasing rapidly.
The meeting also discussed 3G technology, said Muhith. "We are open in this regard. Once the 3G technology is introduced, the country will be benefitted enormously."
Muhith hopes teledensity in Bangladesh would soon reach 80 percent from 40 percent at present. He is however upset by the low level of internet penetration.
"Mobile density has increased, but internet usage is much lower. We hope the use of internet will go up. The mobile technology will play a vital role here."
He said the meeting also discussed banking and financial services through the technology.
Telenor Group is keen to engage in financial services, especially in remote areas, where most financial institutions have no outlets. Since 1996, Telenor Group has invested $2.2 billion in Bangladesh and paid taxes worth up to $2.5 billion.
Grameenphone Chief Executive Oddvar Hesjedal was also present.
No comments:
Post a Comment