Airtel change name to Cirkle as service deteriorates

Gen Z user Sarid Ferdous took an Airtel SIM four to five years ago, attracted by its internet packages. Although he initially received good service, he said the quality deteriorated over time and he now uses another operator’s SIM alongside it.

“I saw in newspapers and on television that Airtel has now been rebranded as Cirkle. Whatever the brand name is, my question is, will the service improve?” 
he said.

Fresh university graduate Alif Kazi, another Airtel user now shifted to Cirkle, also reported similar problems. He relies heavily on the internet for job applications and other essential tasks, but often finds no network when he needs it, while internet speeds are also below expectations.

He took the number as a student because of attractive packages and has since shared it with various organisations and individuals, making it difficult to change.

“Although the name has been changed and a new brand introduced, as a customer, my expectation is not a new brand name but an improvement in service quality first,” he said.

Azizur Rahman, an employee of a private company, took an Airtel number around seven to eight years ago because of its attractive offers. Over the years, the number has become an important means of communication with his colleagues, relatives and friends.

He alleged that calls often drop during conversations, internet quality is poor and network coverage is unavailable in many areas. Despite this, he cannot easily change the number as the number is already known to his colleagues, relatives and friends.

The concerns come as Robi Axiata has rebranded Airtel as Cirkle, with the existing 016 numbers, services, packages, balances and mobile financial services accounts remaining unchanged. Airtel customers have automatically become Cirkle customers.

According to BTRC data, Robi, the operator behind Airtel and Cirkle, received the highest number of complaints among the country's four mobile operators between January 2021 and June 2026.

A total of 66,705 complaints were filed against the four operators during the period, with Robi accounting for 24,874, according to BTRC sources and reports in different media.

The complaints covered service quality, internet speed, value-added services, mobile number portability, recharge and billing, SIM registration, tariffs and call rates, among other issues.

BTRC data shows that Robi has resolved 24,839 of the complaints filed against it.

Mohiuddin Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association, told The Daily Observer that complaints about service quality, data speed and volume, and calls and SMS are directly linked to customers' everyday sufferings.

Regardless of the brand name, customers want uninterrupted calls, fast and stable internet and effective network coverage, he said.

The conditions of the 2016 Robi-Airtel merger, particularly Condition 20, have remained a subject of debate for years. In 2022, there was discussion about stopping promotion of the Airtel brand, but such activities continued. In 2025, Grameenphone and Banglalink complained to the BTRC over the issue.

Robi renamed Airtel as Cirkle on August 17, describing the move as the evolution of the brand. Airtel customers did not need to change their SIMs or numbers, while their existing services and packages remained unchanged.

Student Dil Afroz Jahan said Airtel customers, now Cirkle customers, are also confused about where to lodge complaints when they face problems. As there is no separate Airtel customer care service, they have to go to Robi customer care centres.

She said it also took her time to understand the merger of Airtel with Robi. Now, with Airtel renamed Cirkle, she questions whether changing the brand name alone will improve service quality.

Customers say they expect more than a new brand. They want visible improvements in call quality, fewer call drops, faster and more stable internet and better network coverage.

Robi Axiata PLC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ziad Sattar said at a promotional event for the rebranding on August 17 that Airtel had been operating in Bangladesh for 16 years and that the company had worked to provide better network, offers and services.

"Everything in the world changes and evolves over time. The way we use the internet has also changed. This is the evolution of Airtel. However, our commitment will remain the same," he said.

For customers, however, the real test of the Cirkle brand will not be its new name but whether they experience better service in their everyday lives.