Grameenphone

Grameenphone, widely abbreviated as (d/b/a) GP, is the leading telecommunications service provider in Bangladesh. As of January 2022, its current subscribers span over 83.02 million.[4] It is a joint venture between Telenor and Grameen Telecom Corporation. Telenor, a telecommunication company from Norway, owns a 55.8% share of Grameenphone, Grameen Telecom owns 34.2% and the remaining 10% is publicly held.[5]

Grameenphone Limited
Native name
গ্রামীণফোন লিমিটেড
TypePublic
DSE: GP
CSE: GP
IndustryMobile telecommunication services
FoundedMarch 26, 1997 (1997-03-26) in Dhaka, Bangladesh[1]
FounderIqbal Quadir
Muhammad Yunus
HeadquartersGP House, Bashundhara Residential Area,
Dhaka
,
Bangladesh
Area served
Nationwide
Key people
  • Joergen C. Arentz Rostrup (Chairperson)
  • Yasir Azman (CEO)
  • Jens Becker (CFO)
Products
List
Brands
  • Skitto
  • GPAY
Services
RevenueIncrease ৳150.4 billion (US$1.4 billion)
(FY 2022)
Increase ৳91.48 billion (US$850 million)
(FY 2022)
Increase ৳30.09 billion (US$280 million)
(FY 2022)
Total assetsIncrease ৳185.09 billion (US$1.7 billion)
(FY 2022)
Number of employees
Decrease1,475[2][3] (2021)
ParentTelenor Mobile Communications AS Grameen Telecom
Websitegrameenphone.com

Grameenphone was the first company to introduce GSM technology over 900 and 1800 MHz in Bangladesh.[6] As well as the first company to introduce 5G network in the country and first test was done in Dhaka and Chittagong metropolitan area in mid-2022. In September 2022, Grameenphone successfully conducted trials for the second time in Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal, Mymensingh and Rangpur cities.[7]

History

Founder Iqbal Quadir founded Grameenphone to provide universal mobile phone access throughout Bangladesh, including its rural areas.[8][9] He was inspired by the Grameen Bank micro-credit model and envisioned a business model where a cell phone can serve as a source of income. After leaving his job as an investment banker in the United States, Quadir met and successfully raised money from New York-based investor and philanthropist Joshua Mailman. He then returned to Bangladesh and worked for three years to gain support from organizations such as Grameen Bank and the Norwegian telecom company, Telenor.[10]

On 16 November 2006, Grameenphone officially changed its logo to match its parent company Telenor's logo.

Numbering scheme
Typical Grameenphone 2G SIM Card

Grameenphone uses the following numbering scheme for its subscribers:

  • +880 13 XXXXXXXX
  • +880 17 XXXXXXXX

880 is the ISD code for Bangladesh and is needed only in case of dialing from outside Bangladesh (otherwise, it may be substituted by a 0, making the prefix 013 & 017).

13 & 17 is the prefix for Grameenphone as allocated by the government of Bangladesh. The following eight-digit number XXXXXXXX is the subscriber number. After exhausting the 017 series, Grameenphone became the first operator to launch a second series, the 013.[11]

Network

According to Grameenphone, it has invested more than BDT 347.4 billion (US$4.12 billion) to build the network infrastructure since 2018. Grameenphone has built the largest cellular network in the country.[12] Until July 2023, GP (Grameenphone) has 21,000 Mobile Network tower or BTS, which geographically covers the largest population of Bangladesh with mobile network services.

The Grameenphone network is also GPRS/EDGE/3G-enabled, with a growing 4G network, allowing internet access within its coverage area.

Products

Grameenphone introduced pre-paid mobile phone service in Bangladesh in September 1999 via an EDGE/GPRS/3G/4G enabled network. Grameenphone was the first mobile operator in Bangladesh to offer internet via EDGE and 3G 4G services to its subscribers.[13][14]

Grameenphone has developed several services, such as GP Music, a music streaming service launched in 2015, and Bioscope, a video streaming service launched in 2016 to stream movies, dramas and live TV. The company also owns an e-commerce app, Shoparu, offering door-to-door delivery service to all areas of Bangladesh, including rural areas. Feature phone users may visit any one of the hosts of Grameenphone Express Centers to order their goods online and receive home delivery.

In 2017, Grameenphone introduced its MyGP app that allowed subscribers, through an embedded platform called Flexiload, to personalize their own cell phone packages and discounts based on their personal need for voice minutes, data volumes and text messaging. The MyGP app allowed customers to monitor their usage in real-time. MyGP encompasses GP apps such as Bioscope and Shoparu, as well as third-party ride-sharing apps like Uber and Shohoz.

In March 2022, Grameenphone released embedded-SIM (eSIM), for the foremost time in Bangladesh.[15][16]

All services
  • Bioscope (Live TV) is a video streaming platform for original shows, dramas, movies and live tv launched in 2016.[17]
  • Ekhanei.com was an e-commerce service (also known as CellBaazar) to enable users to sell or buy products through mobile or internet. It was free to use for all Grameenphone customers but was closed in 2017.
  • GP BoiGhor is an online eBook service
  • GP Gamebox is a subscription-based app store launched in 2014, which is powered by Bemobi
  • Wowbox was an lifestyle app launched by GP in 2015.[18][19]
  • GP Music is a music streaming launched in 2015.[20]
  • GPAY is a service to enable users to pay their utility bills through mobile launched in 2016.
  • Mobileplay is an online gaming service.
  • Grameenphone also owns startup accelerator GP Accelerator and startup mentorship platform White-Board. The accelerator program launched its 6th batch of startups for a 4.5-month-long program on 6 November 2019, at GP House.
  • Various other services like stock information, Instant Messaging, SMS Based Alerts/Services, Voice-based Services, Downloads, music, Cricket Updates, Web SMS, Mobile Backup etc.

Skitto

In 2017, Grameenphone launched a specialized SIM for the data-hungry, digitally savvy generation.[21][22] Skitto is an end to end digital product of Grameenphone that completely runs on an app. Although Skitto SIM is a separate product, it uses Grameenphone's core numbering scheme and its core network.[23] As it is a digital product, mobile number portability is not supported from any other mobile operator and also from Grameenphone number itself.[24] Skitto users can control their various packages using its own Skitto app, instead of the USSD codes and the MyGP app. The difference between the Skitto app and MyGP app is that it has a forum-based system where users can solve their own problems.[25][26]

Skitto's mobile app guarantees a continuous digital customer journey with all types of offers. In addition to Grameenphone's customer care centers and street Skitto points, it has an online SIM sales management process.[27] All advertising activity is controlled by the mobile app. Different types of advertising campaigns with loyalty and referral capabilities are given through the app.[28] Dynamic customer segmentation and digitized customer notification process. It provides individual features such as creating own packages, recommendations, rewards, in-app chat for customer service, emergency credits, credit sharing, self-care and more.[22]

Other activities

GrameenPhone has E-SIM [29]

Village phone

With the help of Grameenphone, Grameen Telecom operates the national Village Phone program, alongside its own parent Grameen Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), acting as the sole provider of telecommunications services to a number of rural areas. Most Village Phone participants are women living in remote areas. Village Phone works as an owner-operated GSM payphone whereby a borrower takes a BDT 12,000 (US$200) loan from Grameen Bank to subscribe to Grameenphone and is then trained on how to operate it and how to charge others to use it at a profit. As of September 2006, there are more than 255,000 Village Phones in operation in 55,000 villages around Bangladesh. This program has been replicated also in some other countries including in Uganda and Rwanda in Africa.[30]

Grameenphone Corporate Headquarter (GP House)

Grameenphone Corporate Headquarter (popularly known as "GP House"). Located at Bashundhara R/A, Dhaka, was formally inaugurated on 23 November 2010.[31] GP House considered one of the successful office buildings in Bangladesh.[31] It has been designed by Architect Mohammad Foyez Ullah, Mustapha Khalid Palash and their team.[32][33]

Community Information Centers

Community Information Center (CIC) or GPCIC was an initiative aimed at providing internet access and other communications services to rural areas. In February 2006, 26 CICs were established across the country as a pilot project. In this project, Grameenphone provided GSM/EDGE/GPRS infrastructure and technical support and other partners Grameen Telecom Corporation and Society for Economic and Basic Advancement (SEBA), were involved in selecting and training entrepreneurs to run the village centers. These CICs were used for a wide variety of business and personal purposes, from accessing health and agricultural information to using government services to video conferencing with relatives overseas. Grameenphone also trained entrepreneurs so that they could demonstrate to people how to set up an e-mail account and best make use of the Internet. Currently, none of the CICs are being operated by GP.

Grameenphone Centres
A GPC at Gulshan, Dhaka
A franchised Grameenphone centre at Tejgaon, Dhaka

A Grameenphone Centre (GPC) serves as a "one-stop solution" for customers, with all telecommunications products and services, under a single roof. A Grameenphone Centre also sells phones from vendors like Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi and more. EDGE/GPRS modems and accessories such chargers and headphones are also sold at GPCs.

As of February 2013, there are 85[34] GPCs and they are strategically located at all major locations of the country is operated by Grameenphone. There are two GP Lounges for customer experience of GP Digital Services. There are also 376,285 unique recharge outlets and 6,836 GP Express Stores all across Bangladesh.

Awards
  1. In 2002, Grameenphone was adjudged the Joint Venture Enterprise of the Year at the Bangladesh Business Awards.[35]
  2. In February 2007, Grameenphone again presented an award for its 'HealthLine Service' at the 3GSM World Congress held in Barcelona, Spain.[36]
  3. In 2007, and consecutively in 2015 and 2016, Grameenphone received the "Best Brand Award" by the Brand Forum.
  4. In 2010, 2011 and 2013, Grameenphone received the "Best Employer" award by BDJOBs.
  5. Grameenphone received "Green Mobile Award" by GSMA for extensive Climate Change Program at Mobile World Congress 2014.
  6. Grameenphone received the "Innovation in Corporate Social Responsibility Practices" award at the Bangladesh CSR Leadership Award 2018.

References
  1. "Our Story | Grameenphone".
  2. "Telenor Group – Grameenphone, Bangladesh". Telenor Group. Archived from the original on 22 August 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  3. "Grameenphone, Bangladesh - Telenor Group".
  4. "CMD2017: Grameenphone Ltd" (PDF). Telenor.
  5. "Annual Report 2017" (PDF). Grameenphone. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  6. "Grameenphone (GP)". halberdbastion.com. 1 April 2018.
  7. "Grameenphone trials 5G in all divisional cities with the vision to expedite the journey toward 'Smart Bangladesh' | Grameenphone". www.grameenphone.com. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  8. Isenberg, Daniel J.; Lane, David; Knoop, Carin-Isabel (12 March 2007). "Iqbal Quadir, Gonofone, and the Creation of GrameenPhone (Bangladesh)". Harvard Business Review.
  9. "Power to the People". The Economist. 9 March 2006.
  10. "Iqbal Quadir: Opportunity Comes Calling". Asiaweek. Time Inc. 29 June 2001. Archived from the original on 2 August 2001.
  11. "Now '013' too GP". The Daily Star. 15 October 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  12. "Top Telecommunications Companies in Dhaka (Bangladesh)". Glassdoor. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  13. "Krikya অনলাইন বেটিং এবং ক্যাসিনো — 15.000 বিডিটি পর্যন্ত বোনাস". krikya.net (in Bengali). 25 November 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  14. "History". Grameenphone. Archived from the original on 6 September 2008.
  15. Desk, Toggle (1 March 2022). "GP launches eSIM in Bangladesh for the first time". The Daily Star. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  16. "Grameenphone Launched 4G eSIM in Bangladesh". 1 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  17. "Future Startup Dossier: Grameenphone". Future Startup. 24 April 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  18. "GP launches digital lifestyle app – 'WowBox'". The Daily Star. 18 May 2015.
  19. "5 million users opt for WoWBox lifestyle". 6 October 2016.
  20. "GP Music".
  21. "what is skitto?". skitto. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  22. "skitto's journey to full digitization" (PDF). Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  23. "terms of services". skitto. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  24. "can i come to skitto through mobile number portability (mnp)?". skitto. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  25. "skitto forum guidelines". skitto. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  26. "Establishment of Skitto Online Forum: A Unique Approach For Customer Support | PDF | World Wide Web | Internet & Web". Scribd. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  27. "skitto - a new telecom experience". skitto. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  28. "referral campaign details". skitto. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  29. "Grameenphone eSIM | Grameenphone".
  30. "Grameenphone Rolls Out Affordable Internet Access Across Bangladesh". GSM Association (Press release). 17 October 2006. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007.
  31. "Grameenphone's house for inspiration and empowerment". Telenor Group. 25 November 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  32. "Prospectus, Grameenphone Limited" (PDF). Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission: 65.
  33. "Grameenphone Corporate Head Quarter (GPHouse)". worldarchitecture.org. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  34. "Home". Grameenphone. Archived from the original on 3 July 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  35. "Local News on Bangladesh". Sustainable Development Networking Programme. 16 March 2003.
  36. "GSM Association Announces 2007 Global Mobile Awards Winners". GSM Association (Press release). 13 February 2007. Archived from the original on 31 December 2009.

"At last GP gets New Code 013". Kaler Kantho.

Media related to Grameenphone at Wikimedia Commons

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.