Independent BICMA study finds BT can afford to reduce rates

You may have recharged your mobile data, but before you know it, the data is over and you are left shaking your head.

The telecom regulator, Bhutan InfoComm and Media Authority (BICMA) may have just found out why.

For the last few months, BICMA has been working with some foreign consultants on the Mobile Costing Model Exercise report that looked at the economics of mobile data in Bhutan, and if Bhutan Telecom (BT) and TashiCell can afford to cut mobile data rates.

BICMA recently submitted the report to the Ministry of Industry Commerce and Employment (MoICE). The ministry is now preparing to submit to Cabinet the findings of the independent mobile data costing study commissioned by BICMA, together with actionable recommendations on the government’s commitment to bring down mobile data costs.

The study appears to confirmthat there is empirical room for meaningful reduction in data costs, although the situation is quite different for the two operators.

One interesting finding is how dramatically data consumption has increased.

BT’s B-Mobile data traffic has gone from about 13,500 TB in 2018 to almost 119,000 TB in 2025, while TashiCell’s has gone from around 5,700 TB to over 43,500 TB. This scale is progressively bringing down the underlying cost of delivering each GB of data.

The costing model also indicates that B-Mobile currently has considerably greater room to reduce tariffs than TashiCell. For example, against the present effective rate of about Nu 76 per GB on the Nu 99 package, the model places B-Mobile’s cost at Nu 46 per GB on the 2025 cost base and Nu 36 per GB for 2026. TashiCell’s corresponding figures are Nu 77 and Nu 63 per GB.

The findings appear to support meaningful reductions, but also suggest that implementation may need to take account of the different cost structures and network situations of the two operators rather than simply treating them identically.

The MoICE will be placing the full findings and recommendations before Cabinet shortly. The final decision on the extent, timing and manner of implementation will be decided soon by the Cabinet.

A source said that the study was not done just like that, but the data usage increase was studied along with subscriber increase, costing analysis, books of accounts, investments, return on investments, profit after tax, possible bandwidth reduction, congestion and more of both companies.

The source said earlier BICMA did not have a solid basis and it was more like a request from the government, but now there is solid data to show that the expectation to cut data rates by around half till Nu 499 is a realistic one.

The source said that based on the data and government policy decision BICMA has the powers to enforce a fair rate for consumers.

BT has been resisting so far saying that a sharp decrease would not only affects its profitability and its ability to sustain itself and provide services, but the lower rates could also lead to congestion.

BT offered its own formula of free talk time and smaller data cuts, but the government did not accept it.