The ongoing FIFA World Cup has significantly boosted internet subscriptions in Bangladesh, with industry insiders attributing the sharp rise to increased data consumption during the global football event. According to the latest data from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), internet subscriptions increased by 50.8 lakh to 13.41 crore at the end of May, up from 12.89 crore in January. Active mobile subscribers also rose by 28 lakh to 18.86 crore from 18.58 crore over the same period.
Factors Driving Growth
Several factors have contributed to this surge. Millions of football fans streamed World Cup matches on their mobile devices, leading to a spike in internet traffic. Additionally, uninterrupted electricity supply sustained online activity. The Eid holidays and online activities related to the HSC examinations also played a role. Furthermore, the withdrawal of the Taka 300 tax on mobile phone SIM cards encouraged new mobile connections.
Industry Insights
Robi Head of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Shahed Alam noted that the FIFA World Cup, along with other factors, drove higher data consumption and growth in internet traffic. "Bangladesh witnessed the second-highest internet traffic in its history during the Argentina-Switzerland World Cup quarterfinal match," he said. Alam also highlighted the complete withdrawal of the SIM tax as a key driver of subscriber growth, expressing hope for further industry growth in the coming months.
The BTRC statistics indicate that mobile internet remains the dominant mode of connectivity, accounting for nearly 89 percent of total internet subscriptions. Of the 13.41 crore internet users recorded in May, 11.91 crore accessed the internet through mobile networks, while 1.49 crore used fixed broadband services. The data shows that the increase in internet subscriptions primarily came from mobile internet users, whose number rose from 11.42 crore in January to 11.91 crore in May, an increase of nearly 49 lakh users.
