The company reached 3 million subscribers since January this year, registering a growth of around 55 percent during the first six months.

"I thank every subscriber for selecting GrameenPhone as service provider," said Erik Aas, managing director of GrameenPhone.

"GrameenPhone, on its part, will continue to focus on further improving the main reasons for which people prefer the GP service: quality network with nationwide coverage; affordable prices; and innovative products and services along with good after-sales service," he said.

The managing director also welcomed the recent government initiative to reduce the SIM tax to Tk 800 and the handset import duty to Tk 200. It will enable more people to avail mobile phone services, he added.

Along with adding other network elements to further increase capacity, GP has already added another 1000 new base stations to its network during the first six months of this year, bringing the total to more than 4500 around the country.

In addition, special emphasis is also being made to improve indoor coverage in important buildings and also to improve coverage along major roads and highways. Special indoor antennas have been placed in nearly 70 important buildings including hotels, shopping centres, airports, large commercial buildings and market places.

GrameenPhone also substantially reduced the start-up cost of its new subscriptions during the year. The 80 paisa per minute special promotional tariff offer was launched in April, enabling all GP subscribers to call My Easy, U&I and Friends and Family numbers at this reduced rate throughout the day, the release added.

In January, the Thankyou reward programme was also initiated, offering free talk-time bonus or discounts and other benefits to the existing GrameenPhone subscribers based on the length of time they have been with GP and their airtime usage.