Amsterdam, 26 September 2022: VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON, Euronext Amsterdam: VEON), a global digital operator that provides converged connectivity and online services, announces that Banglalink, its operating company in Bangladesh, is launching next generation 4G networks nationwide across Bangladesh to provide high-quality connectivity to accelerate the use of digital services. The new mobile network is being rolled out over the next few months and will typically double internet speeds once available. 

With 92.8% of internet users in Bangladesh relying on 4G to access digital services¹, the availability of high-speed, high-quality digital connectivity through Banglalink will benefit the economic development of Bangladesh.

"Bangladesh is one of the world's fastest-growing economies and needs a fast high-quality network to support its rapid economic development," says Kaan Terzioglu, CEO of VEON. "Banglalink's next generation 4G network typically doubles internet speeds and will enable superior digital services.  This will help our customers in their personal and professional lives, benefit the country of Bangladesh by boosting the economy, and reinforce Banglalink's position as the leading digital communications services provider in Bangladesh."

The new Banglalink 4G network uses the 2.3 GHz spectrum it procured when it doubled its spectrum allocation in April 2022, employs the latest Time Division Duplex (TDD) technology, and has involved the deployment of 3,000 new base stations to provide a total of 14,000 sites across the country.  Banglalink is the first mobile operator in Bangladesh to deploy the next-generation TDD technology, and the network is being systematically rolled out across the country over the next few months and is being launched in Khulna, Bangladesh's third largest city.  The TDD network will improve the speed and availability of digital communications across Bangladesh while providing higher connection quality for users of Banglalink's health, education, and entertainment digital services.

"Banglalink is proud to uphold the VEON commitment of providing first-rate digital services to its customers across Bangladesh," states Erik Aas, CEO of Banglalink. "Being the first Bangladeshi operator to implement next generation 4G demonstrates the shared aspirations of VEON and Banglalink to ensure we provide customers with faster internet and quality digital experiences."

About Banglalink
Banglalink is one of the leading digital communications service providers in Bangladesh, working to unlock new opportunities for its customers as they navigate the digital world. Driven by the vision of transforming lives through technology, Banglalink also strives to transform into a future-ready service provider capable of catering to the demands of the new digital era. It is a subsidiary of VEON Ltd - a Nasdaq and Euronext listed connectivity provider headquartered in the Netherlands.

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About VEON
VEON is a global digital operator that provides converged connectivity and online services to over 200 million customers in seven high-growth markets. We are transforming people's lives, empowering individuals, creating opportunities for greater digital inclusion and driving economic growth across countries that are home to more than 8% of the world's population.  Headquartered in Amsterdam, VEON is listed on NASDAQ and Euronext.

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Disclaimer
This release contains "forward-looking statements," as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and include statements relating to, among other things, VEON's initiatives, operations and strategy in Bangladesh. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which VEON cannot predict with accuracy and some of which VEON might not even anticipate. The forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of the date of this release. VEON does not undertake to publicly update, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws, any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after such dates or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Contact Information

• Group Communications Director

Marina Levina
PR@veon.com

• Julian Tanner

Julian.tanner@tuvapartners.com

¹ GSMA Country Overview: Bangladesh