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Robi Axiata PLC has completed a comprehensive modernisation of its mobile network across greater Dhaka. The upgrade has significantly improved data speeds, voice quality and indoor connectivity in the country’s most data-intensive market.
The operator upgraded more than 4,800 network sites across greater Dhaka, including Gazipur, Savar, Manikganj and Narayanganj, with virtually no disruption to customer services.
According to Robi, the modernisation has improved cluster-level customer experience by up to 125 percent, reduced call drops by 20 percent and delivered three times better deep-indoor coverage and connectivity quality in greater Dhaka and Gazipur.
The company said the upgraded network has also reduced energy consumption per gigabyte by 20 percent, supporting its efforts to improve network efficiency and sustainability.
The Dhaka upgrade is part of Robi’s nationwide network transformation using next-generation GIGA GREEN 4G/5G-ready equipment. With the Greater Dhaka rollout completed, the operator said it is shifting greater attention to densifying networks in semi-urban areas where data demand is rising rapidly.
Robi’s Chief Technology Officer Perihane Elhamy Ahmed Metaweh shared details of the network modernisation at an event held at the company’s corporate office in Tejgaon on Wednesday.
Minister for Post and Telecommunications, ICT Division and Science and Technology Faqir Mahbub Anam, MP attended the event as the chief guest while Adviser to the Prime Minister on Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology Rehan Asif Asad; and Chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Major General (Retd.) Md Emdad Ul Bari as the special guests. Robi Managing Director and CEO Ziad Shatara and members of the company’s senior leadership team were present on the occasion.
Addressing the event, Faqir Mahbub Anam said the government is pursuing a trillion-dollar economy driven by private-sector investment and welcomed Robi’s investment in improving network quality.
“Our Government is driving towards a trillion-dollar economy powered by private sector investment. I am encouraged to see Robi investing significantly in its network to offer better quality of service,” he said.
He congratulated Robi on the milestone and said the government was ready to support the delivery of digital benefits to citizens, while urging mobile operators to maintain investment in their networks.
Rehan Asif Asad said service quality had become an increasingly important differentiator as the telecommunications industry matured.
“As the industry matures, quality of service has become the key differentiator. I am happy to see Robi strengthening its competitive muscle by revamping its Dhaka network,” he said.
He added that a “win-win formula” works best when customers are satisfied with service quality.
BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd.) Md Emdad Ul Bari praised Robi’s technology team for completing the large-scale upgrade in a relatively short period.
“As an Engineer, I understand working with around 5,000 sites in three months is a mindboggling task. I especially congratulate Robi Technology team for this marvelous achievement,” he said.
He also welcomed Robi’s emphasis on improving internet quality, saying better connectivity was essential for reducing the country’s digital divide.
Robi CEO Ziad Shatara described the Dhaka modernisation as a major milestone and claimed that the operator now has the strongest network in Dhaka.
He said Robi would soon complete its network modernisation in Chattogram and would continue pursuing what he described as a best-in-class network.
“While modernization has significantly strengthened our network, a few areas remain unaddressed because we require new sites,” Shatara said.
He said obtaining new sites had become increasingly difficult and called for urgent intervention from the relevant ministry and BTRC to facilitate site acquisition.
“We seek urgent intervention from the Ministry and BTRC to facilitate acquisition so we can extend the same service quality to every corner of Dhaka,” he added.
Shatara said they have consistently invested in network expansion and innovation since launching 4G services in all 64 districts in 2018. The company currently has an industry-leading 72 percent 4G subscriber base, according to its statement.
He claimed that Robi became the first mobile operator in Bangladesh to launch commercial 5G services in September 2025, initially in selected high-traffic areas of Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet.
Since its stock-market listing in 2020, the operator said it has invested more than Tk 9,331 crore in network expansion. Its 4G sites have increased from 13,173 to 19,646, while its spectrum holdings have expanded 3.4 times to 124 MHz.
In the second quarter of 2026 alone, Robi invested Tk 721.6 crore, taking its number of 4G sites above 19,600 and population coverage to 98.98 percent, according to the company.
The network upgrade is also expected to benefit users of Robi’s youth-focused digital lifestyle brand Cirkle, particularly in data-heavy activities such as streaming, gaming and social media.
With most of greater Dhaka now covered by the upgraded network, Robi said its next priority would be to improve network density and capacity in other high-growth markets while addressing remaining coverage gaps that require additional sites.