PBTL (Pacific Bangladesh Telephone Ltd) and BTL (Bangladesh Telecom Ltd) were given the first license in the country to operate cellular services in 1989. The first mobile service remained limited to only a few rich customers, due to exorbitant price of the lone mobile operator PBTL’s price. Monopolization in the telecoms sector shattered with the debut of three GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) operators – Sheba Telecom, Grameen Phone and Aktel in 1996. Egypt based Orascom acquired Sheba Telecom in 2005 and started its operation as Banglalink. There after UAE based telecom giant WARID Telecom came to Bangladesh. Japanese NTT DoCoMo bought 30 percent stake in AKTEL in 2008 and renamed as Robi AXIATA Ltd. In late 2009. Bharti Airtel acquired 70 percent stake in WARID Telecom in January 2010.