Nepal Telecom Authority (NTA) has held discussions with Nepalese telecom operators to discuss regulations for national roaming between intra-country operators. Roaming is one of the major features of GSM cellular services and is used by many Nepalese while abroad. So, it’s one of the important services Nepali mobile subscribers use and the regulator wants to ensure that it works seamlessly for all.
Roaming, in general, allows a mobile subscriber to get services from another network when its home network is unavailable. The term was equally in use for mobile subscribers when traveling to a new location and on the same network. It’s said to be roaming even in its own network while it is out of some domestic region. National Roaming or domestic roaming service used to be quite popular before in the global telecom scenario. But it seems this has not been a hot topic in recent years. However, NTA believes that it will help maximize the utilization of existing networks, avoid duplication, and create value for customers.
To explain it simply, take an example of an area where Ntc mobile network is only available, and you take a Ncell SIM card there. If national roaming is enabled, your Ncell SIM could also get Ntc mobile network and make call, use data with it.
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National roaming could owe great to Nepal Telecom for its success
Nepal Telecom (NTC) has coverage across the majority of the rural municipalities in Nepal. To illustrate, the company has extended its 4G services to over 98% of local bodies. However, it is reluctant to implement national roaming for the lack of proper policy. But if the plan materializes, the company has a pivotal significance for it. Its wide coverage and flexible cellar services across Nepal could certainly widen the scope of domestic roaming. And this will also help bridge the gap in cellular connectivity.
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New future mobile network operators (MNOs) and private giant Ncell will benefit from the domestic roaming. It’s not that Ntc will be losing its customers and revenue. Proper regulations and policies in domestic roaming will encourage their extension to the remotest areas in Nepal with resources which could certainly help draw in financial gains with roaming calls. The quibble is that the roaming calls are more expensive than regular cellular calls.
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NTA must ensure a bias-free national roaming policy
National roaming is also seen as a different form of infrastructure sharing that helps maximize the telcos’ resources just like a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). The regulator though can’t entertain any bias to formulate any sort of policies that help some new operators and downgrade the existing ones. New players will resort to installing baste stations (BTS) in urban areas where there is much traffic and get coverage from existing operators in remote places (especially hilly, mountainous regions) which worsens the competition in extending their coverage and providing better quality service.
Though there are many issues facing domestic roaming. Nepalitelecom.com believes that the discussion between NTA and operators will help formulate a clear and bias-free policy to facilitate domestic roaming in Nepal. Would you want a domestic roaming service in Nepal for consistent and reliable connectivity and be okay with slightly higher tariffs? Do share in our comments box below.