Nepal Telecom experiences SIM card shortage
Nepal Telecom is experiencing a shortage of GSM SIM cards. According to Nepal Telecom spokesperson, the supply will resume within fifteen days.
An official added that the shortage will affect consumers as well as the company’s profitability.
Nepal Telecom (NT) is the leading and the largest government owned Telecommunication Company of Nepal. It is also known as Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited (NDCL).
Nepal telecom signs MoU with Qatar telecom
Nepal Telecom has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Qatar Telecom on operation of international telecommunication service at a subsidized rate through inter-connectivity.
Though the service had already come into operation since December last year through establishment of inter connectivity between the two companies, the formal accord to this effect was signed on Tuesday.
Managing Director of the Nepal Telecom, Amarnath Singh and Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar Telecom, Dr Naser Marfiha signed the MoU amidst a function.
With the new agreement between the two telecom companies, Nepal Telecom customers can now make a call to Qatar at US$0.17 per minute as compared to US$0.28 per minute earlier.
The new provision is expected to benefit some 465,000 Nepalis currently working in Qatar.
Nepal Telecom unveils cut-price international VoIP calls
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A voice-over-IP international calls service has been launched by Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited (Nepal Telecom, or NT) on June 1, 2010. The customers can access the new service with a PSTN line, or the users of CDMA fixed-wireless and post-paid GSM services can access the service via the access code ’1424′.
According to Nepal telecom, its new service will provide its customers with convenient and cost effective international voice call services.
NPR4 (USD0.05395) per minute will be charged for calls to Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Thailand and US.
Nepal Telecom deploys Gilat broadband satellite platform
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: SkyEdge broadband satellite network has been successfully deployed by Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited (Nepal Telecom, or NT) and Gilat Satellite Networks to Gorakshep. The village is closest to the Everest base camp.
High quality voice and data services using Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) technology will be provided by the new network.
According to NT, the Gorakshep installation forms part of its wider Gilat network rollout announced last year, which is designed to help the telco meet its Universal Service Obligations for voice and broadband data connectivity.
Nepal Telecom to offer first post-paid 3G services
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Nepal’s first post-paid 3G mobile service has been unveiled by Nepalese fixed and mobile operator Nepal Telecom (NT). Until now, only pre paid connections provided an option for third-generation mobile services.
The service is slated to be launched on Thursday. 175,000 post-paid 3G SIM cards in Pokhara and Kathmandu is planned to be made available by the company.
NT has already installed 63 BTSs between the two targeted regions as a part of its expansion plan.
Nepal Telecom aspires to achieve 60% penetration by 2014
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A striving network expansion programme to raise overall teledensity in Nepal to 60% by 2014 has been aspired by state-owned national fixed line and mobile operator Nepal Telecom (Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited, or NT).
According to NT deputy managing director Anoopranjan Bhattarai, the company hopes to hit its target through an aggressive marketing and assurance of service quality campaign and if the plan materializes, over 30 million people will be using the services of NT by 2014.
An Internet Protocol Code Division Multiple Access (IP CDMA) system could also be installed by NT which will have capacity for three million subscribers, besides, implementing an early launch of CDMA2000 1xEvDO technology boasting maximum transfer speeds of 3Mbps.
Its existing wireless networks are limited to around 155kbps.
Nepal Telecom refuses to return 2.4MHz frequency
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Nepal Telecom has refused to return 2.4Mhz of frequency as requested by the Nepal Telecommunication Authority. According to NT spokesperson Surendra Thike, the company is not in a position to return the frequency as they are necessary for NT’s quality service.
NT was recently requested by NTA to return 4.2MHz of spectrum within three months and other temporary frequencies within a year. After not getting any response, the regulator decided to stop it using 2.4MHz of frequency altogether. According to NTA, NT needs only around 28.8MHz of frequency and it is holding double the frequency than it actually needs.
Currently, 45MHz temporary and permanent frequencies in total are used by NT.
Nepal Telecom lose 8.38 m due to illegal VoIP
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Annual revenue loss of NPR600 million (USD8.38 million) is encountered by Nepal Telecom (NT) due to the illegal voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) channels operated by the people. The company hopes that the state clamp down on all the illegal VoIP channels will help the company to acquire the amount as a surplus.
VoIP services can be operated in Nepal only by the licensed companies, subject to tax by the state. Illegal VoIP channels can earn USD8 and USD12 per minute per call.
