Only a year after the advent of the 4G internet in Bangladesh, the government opted for the latest fifth generation of communication technology, popularly known as 5G, in late 2019. With the “Digital Bangladesh” agenda in focus, the purpose was to provide the best tech possible to the public and private sectors in terms of internet connectivity. In its continuation, the state-owned telecom operator Teletalk started their test run of 5G internet in six spots of Dhaka and Tungipara from December 2021. The government set a target to avail 5G internet throughout the entire country within 2023. Unfortunately, the 5G expansion project of TeleTalk has been recently halted by the government for now as nearly 80% of the project’s equipment would have to be imported, which would put additional strain on the nation’s depleting foreign exchange reserves. The honourable prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has also stated her scepticism about the project quite evidently while the decision was taken, and she called for ensuring the 4G technology to all parts of the country before upgrading to 5G. The prime minister’s statement definitely has merit as 4G internet is still barely available in suburban and marginalized parts of Bangladesh. With the country’s current technological infrastructure in mind, let us discuss the benefits and challenges of integrating 5G technology in the context of Bangladesh.
5G Internet: The Gamechanger in Communication Technology
As the fifth generation of mobile networks, 5G is intended to provide more connectivity than ever before. 5G enables a new category of network designed to link nearly everyone and everything, including machines, objects, and gadgets. The increased performance and efficiency are meant to facilitate new user experiences and connect new industries. The technology is estimated to be 100 times faster than the previous fourth generation currently available in Bangladesh. 5G is certainly a futuristic technology as it empowers seamless interaction between devices using its ability of rapid data transformation. This is not only going to change the dynamics of person-to-person communication but will also contribute to the evolution of modern tech such as AR/VR. It has the potential to impact healthcare, education, transportation, and many other vital aspects of human life. For instance, China recently conducted a successful surgery on the human brain using AR, where 5G was in play for communication and data transfer. Therefore, it is unarguably true that the invention of 5G technology is a leap toward the future.
Opportunities of 5G in Bangladesh
The introduction of super-fast, low latent, and next-generation 5G internet would definitely enhance the user experience of nearly 100 million mobile network users of the country. The growing number of SMEs and other corporate branches would also reap the benefits of high-speed internet, which they can utilize to migrate to the cloud or use assembly line and supply chain automation techniques to increase productivity and efficiency. The public sector of Bangladesh is expected to experience the most revolutionary effects of 5G. 5G can significantly expedite the adoption of Smart grids/Utilities in Bangladesh, enabling use-cases such as smart metering, service quality monitoring, fault localization, automation and control, infrastructure management, and demand management, among others. This would facilitate smart decision-making and planning to improve the quality of life for citizens and boost productivity. All in all, an upgrade to 5G would make Bangladesh more relevant to the 4th industrial revolution.
The Big Question: Is Bangladesh Ready for 5G?
Even though the possibilities 5G can provide us with are uncontested, a valid concern can be raised about its desired adaptation. Undoubtedly, we have successfully integrated a vast majority of our population with information technology over the last decade. However, an overwhelming portion of this majority are using the internet for basic purposes- surfing and scrolling through social media like Facebook, YouTube or Instagram or sending out an occasional email. We must remember that 5G was not introduced solely to browse the internet but also for machine-to-machine real-time communication, which is necessary for stuff like synchronized driving. 5G is a modern technology for advanced purposes, and it is not justified to put in the huge investment it takes to create the infrastructure for it before ensuring its value extraction. Bangladesh’s current infrastructure is not ready to utilize the capabilities of 5G technology to a full extent. Even 5G internet is supported by quite a few high-end smartphones, which is also out of reach in terms of buying capacity for most Bangladeshis.
Technological advancement has played an essential part in the impeccable economic growth of Bangladesh in the last few years. In the tech-driven world that we all live in, it is commendable to witness the sincerity of the government for putting effort into empowering its citizens with the latest technology to ensure the continuation of that growth. However, there is still a lot to do in infrastructural development in order to make Bangladesh fully equipped for 5G technology. With the proper infrastructure provided, 5G internet can change the entire dimension of the Bangladeshi economy and open innumerable doors of opportunity in the private and public sectors.
Author-Sadman Bin Ahsan
