BPCS and Nokia Sign SLTE Deal, Marking Milestone for Bangladesh’s First Private Submarine Cable Network

In a significant development for Bangladesh’s telecommunications sector, the Bangladesh Private Cable System (BPCS) Consortium has signed a groundbreaking agreement with Nokia to supply Submarine Line Terminal Equipment (SLTE). This marks a major step towards establishing the country’s first privately-led submarine cable network.

The agreement was signed at a ceremony in Dhaka, a milestone hailed by industry insiders as a breakthrough for private sector involvement in Bangladesh’s international connectivity infrastructure. The deal aims to strengthen the country’s bandwidth capacity and reduce its reliance on foreign cable systems.

Representing the BPCS Consortium, the agreement was signed by Aminul Hakim, CEO of Metacore Subcom Limited; Arif Al Islam, Managing Director and CEO of Summit Communications Limited; and Md Mashiur Rahman, CEO of CdnNet Communications Limited. On behalf of Nokia, the deal was signed by Prashant Malkani, head of sales unit at Nokia India, and Suman Prasad, senior sales account director at Nokia.

Senior officials from Nokia, including Jibitesh Nayal, head of emerging business, and Mohammad R Islam, account manager for Nokia Bangladesh, were also present at the event, which was attended by several foreign diplomats, highlighting the project’s international significance.

With Bangladesh’s bandwidth consumption currently standing at around 9,000 Gbps, demand is expected to soar to 20,000 Gbps by 2027 and 50,000 Gbps by 2030. This surge in demand underscores the urgent need for private sector investment in submarine cable infrastructure. The consortium has already invested approximately Tk600 crore and plans to invest an additional Tk1,200 to Tk1,300 crore for the installation of three cable pairs after June 2026.

Currently, over 60% of Bangladesh’s bandwidth is sourced from India via international terrestrial cables, contributing to significant foreign currency outflows. The new Singapore-Cox's Bazar route, with three cable pairs, aims to alleviate this dependence, bringing Bangladesh closer to bandwidth self-sufficiency.

Officials highlighted that Nokia’s SLTE technology will reduce power consumption, minimize space requirements in data centers, and enhance network management, leading to lower operational costs. The use of Nokia equipment at both cable landing stations is also expected to improve cybersecurity, offering long-term benefits for consumers, including more affordable internet services as capacity increases and costs decrease.