In response to the growing dominance of Over-The-Top (OTT) applications for voice and messaging services, Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) is set to revamp its proprietary dialer application, Alaap, in 2025.
BTCL Managing Director Md. Anwar Hossain highlighted the company’s plans to integrate additional features such as SMS services, hosted IP telephony, voice broadcasting, bulk SMS capabilities, cloud storage, wallet services, and bill payments.
In addition, a dedicated customer care center for Alaap users will be launched. These upgrades, expected by April 2025, aim to position the app as a comprehensive platform for communication and essential services.
Launched in March 2021, Alaap was introduced as a localized alternative to international apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Imo, with the objective of securing Bangladeshi users’ personal data. Unlike these global apps, Alaap provides a unique subscriber number and allows free internet-based communication between Alaap users. However, calls to non-Alaap users, whether on mobile or landline networks, incur a charge of Tk 0.35 per minute, plus the cost of internet connectivity.
Despite its innovative features, Alaap has faced several challenges. The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has allotted only 2 million unique numbers for Alaap, nearly all of which have been assigned, leaving limited capacity for new users. Approximately 394,000 potential users are awaiting verification as the shortage of numbers hampers expansion. Also, the app faces stiff competition from established international platforms that dominate the Bangladeshi market.
Currently, Alaap boasts nearly 1.7 million active users, with an average of 700,000 paid calls and 8,000–10,000 free calls daily. Since its inception, the app has generated Tk 32 crore in revenue.
To register, users need a smartphone, an existing mobile phone number, and a copy of their National ID (NID). Once verified, BTCL provides new virtual phone numbers for Alaap users.
