No shortage of int’l bandwidth in BD: BSCPLC

Staff Reporter:

The Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC (BSCPLC), a state-owned and publicly listed company under the Posts and Telecommunications Division, has clarified that the country currently faces no shortage of international bandwidth.

In a statement issued by the posts and telecom ministry, BSCPLC said it operates two trusted submarine cable systems, SEA-ME-WE-4 and SEA-ME-WE-5, with a combined capacity of around 7,200 Gbps. Of this, 4,200 Gbps is already in use, leaving an additional 3,000 Gbps available for allocation.

The company noted that this capacity can be further expanded through technological upgrades as demand grows.

To meet future bandwidth needs, BSCPLC is implementing a third submarine cable project, SEA-ME-WE-6, expected to be operational by the end of 2026.

Once launched, it will provide roughly 30,000 Gbps (30 Tbps) of international bandwidth connecting Cox’s Bazar with Singapore, Mumbai, and France.

“BSCPLC is fully prepared to meet both current and future international bandwidth demands. There is no shortage at present or in the foreseeable future,” the statement said.

The company also cautioned against introducing untrusted submarine cable systems, warning that they could jeopardize national cybersecurity and technological stability.

It claimed that countries including the US, UK, France, and Australia have expressed concerns over such unverified connections, though these claims have not been independently verified.
BSCPLC urged all operators and service providers to continue sourcing bandwidth from the trusted SEA-ME-WE-4 and SEA-ME-WE-5 systems to ensure secure and reliable connectivity, supporting the country’s ongoing digital advancement.