5G-Ready Handsets Surge 45% in Bangladesh as Users Upgrade Ahead of Network Expansion

📱 The share of 5G-enabled handsets on Bangladesh's three major mobile networks rose from 5.74 percent in August 2025 to 8.29 percent in July 2026, showing that consumers are steadily moving towards next-generation smartphones despite limited 5G availability. The data was reported by The Daily Star on August 26, 2026, citing BTRC statistics.

📊 Growth Statistics

Grameenphone, Robi, and Banglalink had a combined 14.68 million 5G-capable handsets on their networks in July 2026, up 45.6 percent — or nearly 4.6 million — from 10.08 million in August last year, according to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) data compiled from the operators.

• 📱 5G-capable handsets: 14.68 million (July 2026)
• 📈 Growth: 45.6% year-on-year (+4.6 million devices)
• 📊 Share of total handsets: 8.29% (up from 5.74%)
• 📰 Source: BTRC data, reported by The Daily Star
• 📅 Date: August 26, 2026

📈 Replacement vs New Users

The growth in 5G devices far exceeded the 0.7 percent increase in total handsets, which rose from 175.75 million to 177.02 million over the 11 months. This suggests that most of the growth in 5G devices came from consumers replacing older phones rather than from new handset additions.

However, the figures do not represent unique physical devices. Operators count handsets separately on their networks, meaning the same phone may be counted more than once if it uses SIM cards from different operators. Industry sources noted that many users keep multiple SIMs for better call rates, data offers, and network coverage.

📱 Smartphone vs Feature Phone Trends

Smartphones, including 3G, 4G, and 5G devices, accounted for 65.15 percent of handsets in July 2026, up from 62.68 percent in August last year. The share of feature phones fell from 37.32 percent to 34.85 percent, indicating a clear shift towards smartphone adoption.

• 📱 Smartphone share: 65.15% (up from 62.68%)
• 📱 Feature phone share: 34.85% (down from 37.32%)
• 📊 Total handsets: 177.02 million (up from 175.75 million)

🌏 Global 5G Context

Globally, 5G adoption is accelerating, with subscriptions reaching 3.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026, according to Ericsson. Bangladesh remains far behind mature 5G markets, but the rising number of compatible devices indicates that consumers are preparing for wider adoption.

🏛 Operator Breakdown — Robi Leads

Of Bangladesh's four mobile operators, only Robi and Grameenphone commercially launched 5G on September 1, 2025. Neither has disclosed the number of customers using 5G or the number of sites upgraded for the technology.

Robi had the highest share of 5G-capable handsets at 10.06 percent, with 5.74 million devices — up 46.9 percent from 3.91 million 11 months earlier, the fastest growth among the three operators.

• 📱 Robi: 5.74M 5G devices (10.06% share, +46.9% growth) — HIGHEST
• 📱 Grameenphone: 6.19M 5G devices (7.53% share, +44.3% growth)
• 📱 Banglalink: 7.29% share (data available)

👥 Operator Executive Quotes

Tanveer Mohammad, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Grameenphone, said the operator has launched 5G services across all divisional headquarters, but "the wider 5G ecosystem in Bangladesh — including device availability, practical use cases and industry readiness — is still developing."

Shahed Alam, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer of Robi Axiata, said Robi is carrying the highest volume of 5G traffic in the market. "We aim to provide 5G coverage wherever there is sufficient demand and a meaningful number of 5G-enabled devices connected to our network. In many locations, we already have blanket 5G coverage, with speeds exceeding 100 Mbps," he said.

📊 Grameenphone 700 MHz Deployment

Grameenphone has also started deploying its 700 MHz spectrum to improve network quality, indoor coverage, and nationwide reach. "Looking ahead, we see significant potential for 5G not only in consumer services but also in enterprise and industrial applications," said Tanveer Mohammad.

🧠 5G Use Cases Beyond Social Media

Shahed Alam of Robi emphasized that the real value of 5G lies in developing meaningful use cases beyond browsing social media or streaming videos. Industry experts see potential for 5G in:

• 🏢 Enterprise and industrial applications
• 🧠 IoT (Internet of Things) connectivity
• 🏛 Smart manufacturing for RMG sector
• 💰 Digital financial services
• 🗥 Telemedicine and remote healthcare
• 📱 Enhanced broadband for e-commerce

📊 Implications for Bangladesh Economy

The growing 5G handset adoption is significant for Bangladesh's digital economy. With 177 million total handsets and rising smartphone penetration, the country is building a foundation for digital transformation across sectors including manufacturing, trade, finance, and healthcare.

For the export sector, 5G could enable smart manufacturing in RMG factories, real-time supply chain monitoring, and improved logistics management — areas that Bangladesh needs to address to maintain export competitiveness post-LDC graduation.

📱 While Bangladesh's 5G handset adoption is growing rapidly at 45.6% year-on-year, the country still lags behind mature 5G markets. However, with Grameenphone and Robi expanding coverage and device prices falling, wider adoption is expected in the coming years, potentially transforming Bangladesh's digital landscape and supporting economic growth.