BSCPLC (Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC)

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Summary
What is BSCPLC? Learn about Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC, the provider of SMW-4 and SMW-5 cables that power Bangladesh's internet.

Summary

BSCPLC (Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC), formerly known as BSCCL, is the state-owned telecommunications company that manages Bangladesh’s connection to international submarine cable systems. It is the primary source of the country’s high-speed internet bandwidth, operating the landing stations for the SMW-4 and SMW-5 undersea cables.

Overview

BSCPLC serves as the “backbone” of the Bangladesh internet. It is a Public Limited Company under the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology. Its primary role is to provide large-capacity bandwidth to International Internet Gateways (IIGs) and other large telecom operators.

Until the introduction of ITC (International Terrestrial Cable) licenses, BSCPLC held a monopoly on international bandwidth. Even today, it remains the most critical infrastructure provider for the nation’s digital connectivity.

Technical Deep-Dive

Bangladesh currently relies on two primary submarine cables managed by BSCPLC, with a third on the way:

  1. SMW-4 (SEA-ME-WE 4): The country’s first submarine cable, landing at Cox’s Bazar. It has been operational since 2005.
  2. SMW-5 (SEA-ME-WE 5): A second, much higher-capacity cable that lands at Kuakata. It provides lower latency and significantly more bandwidth than SMW-4.
  3. SMW-6 (SEA-ME-WE 6): Currently under development, this cable will land at Cox’s Bazar and is expected to provide a massive boost to the country’s capacity by 2025-2026.

Bangladesh Context

In Bangladesh, when you hear the news that “internet will be slow for three days due to cable maintenance,” it usually refers to work being done on BSCPLC’s undersea cables. Because these cables carry the majority of the nation’s traffic, any fault in these lines requires traffic to be rerouted through India (via ITC), which often leads to higher latency (ping) and reduced speeds.

FAQ

  • Q: Why did BSCCL change its name to BSCPLC?
    • A: The name change to Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC (BSCPLC) was made to comply with the Companies Act, which requires public limited companies in Bangladesh to use the “PLC” suffix.
  • Q: What happens if a submarine cable is cut?
    • A: BSCPLC attempts to reroute traffic to the other cable (e.g., from SMW-4 to SMW-5) or uses terrestrial paths through India, though this usually results in temporary speed degradation for the whole country.

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