Grameenphone, Bangladesh

Grameenphone is the largest mobile provider in Bangladesh.

Grameenphone offers core voice services and a number of value-added services on both a contract and prepaid basis.

Grameenphone brings out the best in me.

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Grameenphone at a glance

Key facts

  • The largest of six mobile operators in the country
  • Offers core voice services and a number of value-added services on both a contract and prepaid basis
  • 41.726 million mobile subscriptions (Q1 2013)
  • 4,599 employees (Q1 2013)
  • Total revenues of NOK 6,730 million (2011)
  • Monthly Mobile ARPU: NOK 13 (Q1 2013)
  • Telenor holds a 55.8 % ownership interest in Grameenphone (as of 31 March 2011)
  • Grameenphone is listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) Ltd. and the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Ltd
  • Headquarters are located in Dhaka
  • CEO: Vivek Sood

Innovative mobile based solutions

Grameenphone has been a pioneer in bringing innovative mobile-based solutions to Bangladesh. Notable among these is the Healthline, a 24 hour medical call centre manned by licensed physicians. Other innovations include Studyline, a call centre-based service providing education related information, Mobicash, for electronic purchase of train tickets, Billpay, for paying bills through mobile phones and over 500 community information centres across Bangladesh. These centres bring affordable Internet access and other information based services to people in rural areas.

Socio-economic impact of mobile financial services

The introduction of mobile financial services to Bangladesh could serve as a solution for 76 % of the population in Bangladesh that are unbanked. The prediction comes from a study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group for Telenor in 2011 on the socio-economic impact of mobile financial services. The Bangladeshi economy stands to gain as well with the introduction of mobile financial services, adding a 2 % increase to the total Gross Domestic Product by 2020. The economical and societal contributions of the new business activity include creating 500,000 new jobs and improving health care access.

Read more about our impact

Historical background

Launched in 1997, Grameenphone was the first Telenor venture in the Asian telecom market. Telenor and its partners have boosted network capacity and extended coverage to new and often remote areas, connecting millions of previously unconnected people.

Analytical information

For detailed information on regulatory matters, network, licenses and competitors, see our business descriptions for Grameenphone.

Company Website

Visit the Grameenphone website

Key Figures for grameenphone

(NOK in millions) 4th quarter Year
2012 2011 2012 2011
Revenues
Subscription and traffic 1 353 1 487 5 690 5 864
Interconnect revenues 160 171 652 655
Other mobile revenues 9 13 37 33
Non-mobile revenues 62 35 162 179
Total revenues 1 584 1 705 6 541 6 730
EBITDA before other items 856 930 3 483 3 595
Operating profit 588 674 2 396 2 472
EBITDA before other items/Total revenues (%) 54,0 54,5 53,3 53,4
Capex 141 219 3 021 977
No. of subscriptions - Change in quarter/Total (in thousands): (933) 1 248 40 021 36 493
ARPU - monthly (NOK) 12 15 14 16
Exchange rate 0,0711 0,0755