Teletalk now a 'thorn in the throat': Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb

Teletalk, the country’s only state-owned mobile operator, has reached a stage where it has become a "thorn in the throat," according to Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology.

In a Facebook post from his verified account on Monday night, Taiyeb expressed deep concerns over Teletalk’s performance, citing poor management, underinvestment, and inadequate spectrum allocation as critical issues plaguing the operator.

“Despite initial public demand, Teletalk has failed to acquire a significant subscriber base over the past decade,” he wrote. “Its weak management is partly responsible. The previous government left Teletalk in a severely dysfunctional state, and now it has become a burden.”

Taiyeb highlighted that Teletalk has consistently received less spectrum than its private competitors, both in quantity and quality.

“Teletalk operates with significantly less spectrum across all bands, which has hampered its ability to provide quality voice and internet services. Its 2G tower coverage is only one-fifth and 4G coverage just one-tenth compared to leading mobile operators,” he stated.

He added that in many rural areas, where Teletalk lacks investment, its allocated spectrum is going unused.

Teletalk’s lack of usable low-band spectrum and minimal investment in upper mid-band frequencies were also called out. According to Taiyeb, although the previous government brought in some funding through G2G (government-to-government) agreements, those funds were “misused and looted through corruption.”

“As a result, the number of BTS (Base Transceiver Station) sites remains insufficient, and Teletalk cannot fully utilize its allocated spectrum. However, in remote regions like the Sundarbans, haor areas, and the Hill Tracts, Teletalk has shown relatively better coverage,” he said.

Taiyeb noted that a proposal has been submitted to convert Teletalk’s outstanding spectrum dues to the BTRC into equity via the Finance Ministry. If approved, it could help resolve internal government financial transactions without affecting service operations.

He also suggested exploring the possibility of allocating spectrum to Teletalk through executive orders—similar to practices in neighboring countries.

“As a state-owned company, Teletalk’s funding for spectrum purchases depends on government allocations. Delays and disputes over inter-agency dues are common across ministries and shouldn’t be a reason to withhold critical resources from a strategic telecom operator,” he said.

Taiyeb emphasized that the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology should consider public expectations and expert opinions—both local and international—when formulating spectrum policy for state-run operators like Teletalk.

He outlined four key areas that must be prioritized:

Expanding service in disaster-prone and underserved areas where private operators are unwilling to invest.

Maintaining market competition and balancing Significant Market Power (SMP).

Protecting consumers by ensuring affordable mobile and internet rates.

Keeping the spectrum allocation process competitive.

The post concludes with a call to treat Teletalk not just as a business, but as a strategic national asset, especially for ensuring digital connectivity in remote and vulnerable regions.