Nepal Telecom, the government-owned company, and NTA, the regulator have signed a contract to utilize RTDF. The contract is for the optical fiber link establishment along the mid-hill highway from Chiyo bhanjyang (Pachthar) in the east to Arughat in the west (border between Gorkha and Dhading). NT MD Mrs. Kamini Raj Bhandari and NTA chief Mr. Digambar Jha signed the optical fiber deal.
NTA will bear the cost for the implementation of the Mid hill optical by utilizing the Rural telecommunication development fund (RTDF). They have used the fund for the first time for the development of infrastructure for increasing broadband penetration.
The optical fiber along the mid-hill highway runs 804 kilometers main link. Similarly, there will be a spur link of 1572 km towards north & south. The layout works of optical fiber laying will be completed in 2 years span. The optical fiber link will have a capacity of 100 Gbps.
More details of Optical fiber in Province 1, 2, 3
As known, the optical fiber will be of 96 core along with the main link (backbone). Whereas it will be 48 core for the spur links to district headquarters, and 24 core towards the municipalities. The optical fiber will establish a link to 32 districts of federal states 1, 2, and 3, along both north and south. The link will be a combination of underground, overhead optical fibers. As per the information, they have already performed the initial survey for the optical fiber link.
The government has planned to provide broadband internet to all VDCs, Schools, and health posts. Based on the plan, NTA has mulled to provide part of the RTDF to Nepal Telecom, to build the optical fiber along the mid-hill highway. They agreed upon a Memorandum of understanding on Ashar 15. But there was no significant development due to the transitional period by the competition to NT MD.
This is one of a milestone project for the development of infrastructure to provide broadband connectivity to all parts of the country. Nepal Telecom’s recently appointed MD, Mrs. Kamini Rajbhandari also thanked NTA for selecting Nepal Telecom for this Mid hill optical fiber project. She also expressed the need for coordination among several government entities like NEA, Department of Road and ministries for the successful completion of the project. She even assured to complete the project within the mentioned 2 years period.
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This is the first major project that recently appointed MD, Mrs. Kamini Rajbhandari put her ink on.
