People’s expectation with internet service in Nepal

The Internet has been an integral part of human life. This pandemic situation has proved that the internet rules the world even when humans are captivated inside the four walls. With the new trend of work from home, the demand for internet service has accelerated by 30-40 % than that of normal days. 

As soon as the country went under lockdown, people started facing internet problems like slow speed, fluctuation in the connection, and couldn’t afford a bit costly data packs that made working from home frustrating.

So, people anticipate the services they paid for from ISPs, affordable data packs, and many more. Let’s discuss the expectations people set for quality internet experience.

Stable internet connection

Talking about the internet connection at home ultimately means Fixed broadband with some cable/wire. Then there is this cellular internet (data packs) which is the only means of internet in remote areas. There are different ISPs providing internet services in the whole country or certain regions. Nowadays, people set up an internet connection at home to connect with family members and friends, to do official works, and for educational and entertainment purposes. 

But there’s a common problem of the internet i.e unstable connection. Most of the people pay for 25 Mbps and are supposed to surf the internet at 6 Mbps, which vividly seems unfair and a matter of concern. According to the latest survey, people desperately want a stable internet connection either it is in an office or at home. People anticipate high speed along with the increment in the FUP limit on all unlimited plans.

Recently, NTA has directed ISPs to inform internet speed details to customers.

Accessible for all

Since most of the ISPs focus on urban areas. If they could also keep an eye on remote regions and provide internet services at an affordable rate, there’s a high possibility of incrementing internet users. The packages of an internet connection should be designed so that everyone can access some internet facility.

 The expansion of internet services to all parts of the country is a need for now. Being a little viable for everyone may fulfill the gap between the demand and supply of internet services in our country. Addressing this problem may take time, but it’s essential for the development since we can generate the information of the world at a fingertip with access to the internet. Find the status of broadband penetration in Nepal.

Affordability

The pricing of the monthly plan of various ISP’s seems concerned to only those who can pay high. The cost of the internet is quite an obstacle for poorer sectors of the population. Since the cost of the internet depends upon the government policies, the implementation of Telecom Service Charge (TSC) increased the price of the internet from the last two Fiscal year obliged to improve internet services cost for customers.

In this period of lockdown, most people have been to the village where there’s no WiFi, and they are compelled to buy expensive cellular data to attend meetings, webinars, and online classes. 

There’s no doubt that giant telecommunication service providers like NTC and Ncell are coming up with various data pack offers, but extending the time frame regarding the offers would be beneficial. Moreover, there’s a problem with network quality, so people expect it to resolve soon.

Prompt resolution:

As ISPs suffer different issues and challenges in their network and bandwidth, people expect them to upgrade their network capacity before the customers felt the problem. This issue is more concerned with essential network issues rather than the home level, which they need to be proactive in resolving before the customer complains.

The quick support for the maintenance should be available when customers ask for the maintenance service. Also, the solution regarding internet issues should be provided to the customers to sustain in the long run. Here are the Expectations from Nepali Telecom companies.

No hidden cost:

Most of the time, people complain about the automatic reduction of balance from their mobile phones and unexpected service charges, which they are unaware of. This type of hidden cost leads to the unreliability of the service providers. 

Multiple conditions to limit the services or increase the cost has been an unresolved issue. People demand this issue be addressed then and there.

Security:

 The security of data is a must when it comes to the internet. The recent breach Vianet suffered has created a threat among customers regarding the leak of their data. ISPs must maintain the privacy of customers’ data, and for this, preventive measures should be taken. 

Recommended read: Comparing and finding the best ISP in Nepal.

To sum up, they need to lighten each corner of remote areas with internet facilities. The need of the hour is to provide a stable internet connection, with prompt maintenance service. While equal priority be given to maintain the security of the customer’s data. Similarly, telecom providers should also focus more on providing affordable data packs. 

If you expect anything more about internet service in Nepal, you can kindly comment on your thoughts below.