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Thank you

Vivek Sood
WE are now five crore, and we have reached this milestone together. Seventeen years ago the people of Bangladesh embraced Grameenphone when we started. In that time, we have always worked to maintain relevance and value in all our products and services. Our highest priority has always been the customer and I am happy to say that we have been rewarded with the largest family of mobile services users.
In my mind, 50 million is a community which can achieve the impossible. Fifty million is not something that can be easily dismissed. Fifty million is the indication of the will of a nation to grow and advance to a better connected Bangladesh.
As the fastest operator to spread 3G services throughout the country, Grameenphone can help people change their lifestyles through innovative internet services. Our speed has only been possible due to the most widespread network infrastructure in the country. The 3G internet can be the most effective tool in our hands at the moment to share knowledge and spread expertise within communities. Now more than eight million people subscribe to Grameenphone’s data services changing the way they choose to lead their lives.
Since Grameenphone started operations in Bangladesh, we have been focused on customer experience and being the thought leader in mobile service innovations. When subscriber growth began to stagnate with the onset of our journey, we were quick to introduce GP-GP connections - an innovation that took the market by a storm and once again reignited our growth.
Once considered an item of luxury and affluence, affordable Grameenphone connections were heartily welcomed by the population. From farmers to blacksmiths, big corporations to SME entrepreneurs, people could
find solace in what they did through the strongest communication network.
Building the size of the network that we have developed has been at the core of our expansion plans - we built on the belief that customers would (and did) respond to affordable telecommunications solutions. In our journey to build our robust network, we have faced many logistical issues related to operations in a developing country. We have built network in areas without real roads; we have built network in areas without reliable power or no power at all. The company has sought out and invested in alternative energy solutions to mitigate some of the challenges to ensure a continuous network.
I am happy to report that our efforts have been rewarded with recognition from the GSMA at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February this year, when Grameenphone was awarded the ‘Green Mobile Award' for our 'Climate Change Programme'.Thank you
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The 'Green Mobile Award' is presented to organisations in the mobile industry or the mobile ecosystem in recognition of significant and innovative environment-friendly policies, services, products, programmes or initiatives that tangibly reduce or offset carbon dioxide (or greenhouse gas) emissions.
Grameenphone has its eye on the future and sees even brighter prospects for Bangladesh. We look forward to a Bangladesh where the up and coming, educated youth will make a name for themselves in the world through science and technology. We will be there to support their
endeavours with our robust network.
We expect that within five short years, Grameenphone will succeed in becoming a network of 50 million internet users. To fulfil this ambition, we will continue to invest in our network; continue to invest in our employees; and continue to invest in our customers. We are committed to improve our services and further strengthen our network.
To drive this new ambition, Grameenphone will probably look to support sectors that are critical for the growth of data in Bangladesh, such as relevant content and apps. Data services can drive innovation in healthcare,
mobile financial services, e-commence, and education, to name just a few; the scope is as wide as the needs of the data customers.
Our ambition is aligned with the concept of a connected Bangladesh. Since our initiatives are geared towards deeper internet penetration, it will in turn support the government's vision fora Digital Bangladesh.
Through it, all our growth ambitions centre on putting our customers first and ensuring that their needs are met. To say that our customers are our biggest strength might sound like a cliche but we can only credit our success of 50 million subscribers to the love and
support that they have shown us. The next 50 million will come in data users and can only be achieved through our customers.
Grameenphone started its journey onthe26thofMarch, the Independence Day ofBangladesh.This date should not only be the celebration of Bangladesh's birth but also the celebration of human independence through self-actualisation and progress. We are thankful that the people of Bangladesh have made Grameenphone a part of their own journey towards progress and a brighter future Thank you for making usapartofyourlifeThankyou.
The writer is the CEO of Grameenphone.