Cyclone disrupts 10,000 telecom towers, millions out of service

Power outage due to cyclone Remal has caused over 10,000 mobile towers or base transceiver stations (BTS) to go out of service, affecting the mobile and internet services of millions of people in the southern districts.

People in Barguna, Barishal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Chattogram, Khulna and some other districts have been affected.

Operator sources said that electricity has been cut off in some districts since yesterday afternoon.

“The network went out of service due to longer outages; we are trying to restore some of them with portable generators,” said Shahed Alam, chief corporate and regulatory officer of Robi.

However, he cautioned that it will not be a sustainable solution as the adverse weather will hinder diesel supply to those generators.

A Base Transceiver Station (BTS) connects mobile calls and the internet by communicating with mobile devices via radio signals.

According to officials of the companies, the standard battery backup duration for a BTS typically ranges from 4 to 8 hours depending on electricity availability, ensuring that a tower remains operational during short to moderate power outages.

Bangladesh Power Development Board cut electricity generation by more than half of its usual production amid the cyclone today.

In some cases, the network was disrupted due to damage by storms and flooding during the cyclone.

In Bangladesh, BTS or towers are operated by either telecom companies or third-party companies, which manage and operate the facilities to support mobile network coverage.