Staff Reporter :
The Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) has announced a significant upgrade for residential internet users, doubling the speed of the most affordable shared broadband connections without increasing prices.
Millions of residential users currently paying Tk500 per month
for a 5 megabits per second (Mbps) shared internet connection will now receive 10 Mbps at the same rate.
The announcement was made by ISPAB President Md. Emdadul Hoque during a meeting held in Dhaka on Saturday, attended by representatives from the government, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), and key industry stakeholders.
“This initiative reflects the commitment of internet service providers to align with the government’s vision of improving internet quality at more accessible prices,” said Emdadul Hoque in a media briefing following the meeting.
He further noted that the minimum standard for broadband speed in the country should be set at 20 Mbps. To facilitate this, ISPAB members have proposed several regulatory measures aimed at enhancing the affordability and quality of internet services.
Key proposals include allowing greater sharing of underutilised network infrastructure, reducing the wholesale bandwidth price to Tk150 per Mbps, down from the current multi-slab rates which exceed Tk350 for smaller providers and capping the transmission capacity charge at Tk5 per Mbps.
However, the ISPAB President clarified that these changes will apply only to shared broadband users. Subscribers with dedicated internet connections will not receive any additional speed benefits under the new arrangement.
The move is widely seen as a step toward more inclusive and improved digital access across the country, particularly benefitting lower-income households.
