AKTEL—A Force in the Bangladeshi Mobile Market

September of 2009 marked the one-year anniversary of DOCOMO's management participation in Axiata (Bangladesh), formerly TM International (Bangladesh), which provides mobile phone services under the "AKTEL" brand. DOCOMO is a 30 percent shareholder in AKTEL.
AKTEL saw profit grow along with an increase of users to 10 million in the second half of 2009. The company provides GSM, GPRS and EDGE services and is expanding its network coverage.
"We are looking into a five to ten year future," says Toshinari Kunieda, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of DOCOMO's Global Business Division, who visited Bangladesh in August. "DOCOMO's participation in AKTEL's management and our expertise to actively enhance the company's business in the fast-growing Bangladeshi mobile telecommunications market will encourage the company's steady growth in the future."
While fixed line phones are used by only 1% of the country's population of close to 165 million, the mobile phone is becoming an increasingly popular and essential tool. Mobile penetration has risen to 31% in Bangladesh, a country where economic growth is averaging 6%. In farming villages, where development of communications infrastructure lags behind that of cities, DOCOMO expects mobile phone users will expand at an explosive pace.
Right now, DOCOMO is working hard to help AKTEL build and operate an efficient network, offer value-added services and support marketing. As AKTEL expands its data communications business, including through the potential introduction of 3G service in the foreseeable future, DOCOMO's expertise in 3G operation in Japan will be a key to AKTEL's success, and ultimately to DOCOMO's return on investment in the Bangladeshi market.

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