Staff reporter :
Mobile phone operators Robi Axiata Limited (Robi) and Airtel Bangladesh Limited (Airtel) have begun talks to merge their operations with a view to bringing the possibility of creating the country’s second-largest operator after Grameenphone.
Robi Vice President Ikram Kabir in a statement on Wednesday said, “This is the primary level. No decision has been taken yet. After holding long talks, it will be understood whether one company will acquire another or both will be merged.”
Airtel Managing Director P D Sharma in separate statement echoed the same saying, “Talks have started. It will continue further. Final decision will be taken later after discussing other different issues”
By merging, it will be easy for the two companies to provide information and hold discussion with the regulatory authorities in this regard, assed the statements.
If any major development happens the parent companies, Malaysia-based Axiata Group and Indian-based Bharti Airtel, will announce the next course of action.
According to statistics of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) released at the end of July this year, Robi and Airtel respectively share 27.92 million and 9.08 million subscribers out of 128.77 million mobile subscribers across the country.
Banglalink is the second largest mobile operator with 32.41 million subscribers after Grameenphone (53.98 million). If the talks come to effect the new company is likely to beat Banglalink with a total of 37 million subscribers, which is still 16.98 million behind than that of Grameenphone.
In the fiscal 2013-14, Robi’s gross revenue was Tk 4,672 crore and Airtel’s Tk 1,713 crore.
Mobile phone operators Robi Axiata Limited (Robi) and Airtel Bangladesh Limited (Airtel) have begun talks to merge their operations with a view to bringing the possibility of creating the country’s second-largest operator after Grameenphone.
Robi Vice President Ikram Kabir in a statement on Wednesday said, “This is the primary level. No decision has been taken yet. After holding long talks, it will be understood whether one company will acquire another or both will be merged.”
Airtel Managing Director P D Sharma in separate statement echoed the same saying, “Talks have started. It will continue further. Final decision will be taken later after discussing other different issues”
By merging, it will be easy for the two companies to provide information and hold discussion with the regulatory authorities in this regard, assed the statements.
If any major development happens the parent companies, Malaysia-based Axiata Group and Indian-based Bharti Airtel, will announce the next course of action.
According to statistics of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) released at the end of July this year, Robi and Airtel respectively share 27.92 million and 9.08 million subscribers out of 128.77 million mobile subscribers across the country.
Banglalink is the second largest mobile operator with 32.41 million subscribers after Grameenphone (53.98 million). If the talks come to effect the new company is likely to beat Banglalink with a total of 37 million subscribers, which is still 16.98 million behind than that of Grameenphone.
In the fiscal 2013-14, Robi’s gross revenue was Tk 4,672 crore and Airtel’s Tk 1,713 crore.
