NTC To Investigate Network Outage Issue: Sets Up A Committee

Nepal Telecom (NTC) will investigate its recent network outage issue that occurred this Wednesday morning on Ashar 9. The company had promptly restored the network and referred to the equipment malfunctioning as the cause. But NTC Workers’ Union called for a high-level inquiry into the matter. Complying with it, an investigation committee of 6 members has been set up to look into the issue in detail.

NTC’s GSM Mobile service suffered an unexpected failure on Wednesday in the morning from around 6 AM to 8 AM. This kept NTC’s customers out of calling service for about two hours. The telco also had to bear losses in millions due to this. However, the telco promptly mobilized its team of experts and restored the network in just about two hours.

Later, the company released a statement with an apology and conveyed its commitment to resume the services at the least time in the future. It also reasoned the inevitability of equipment malfunctioning behind such network issues.

Initially, NTC had formed a committee to look into the issue. But citing the lack of credibility with an internal committee, Nepal Telecom Workers Union demanded an independent high-level investigation committee. NTC complied has and set up a committee of experts.

Also read: Why Does A Mobile Network Fluctuate Among 4G, 3G, and 2G?

A Premeditated Act?

Soon after NTC restored back its network, it issued an apology through an official statement. The company also reasoned an inevitability of equipment failure behind abrupt network issues. In the letter, the telco also conveyed its commitment to resume services in the minimal of time in such cases. However, a trade Union in the company didn’t take the issue lightly. They suspected NTC’s recent network outage was a premeditated act and a part of a conspiracy to topple the long-serving institution.

The Union also displayed its concern over the lack of efforts from the NTC Board to nullify such cases. The Union called for a high-level investigation and submitted a memo to the company’s Managing Director Dilliram Adhikari and Chairman Mr. Hari Prasad Bashyal who also serves as Secretary at the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. The Union has demanded strict penalties on the culprits if they are found guilty.

The High-Level Committee

Consenting to the demand of the Trade Union, the Chairman of the NTC Board Mr. Hari Prasad Bashyal has set up a 6 members external investigation committee for an independent and fair look into the network outage on Wednesday.

The committee will be led by NTC’s CCO Pratibha Vaidya. Among the others, one will be an expert technician from Pulchowk Engineering College, another from MoCIT, the other from Nepal Telecommunications Authority. Besides, NTC’s Deputy Manager KP Bhandari and Internal Audit Department’s CA Shuva Kayastha will complete the 6 member committee.

The high-level investigating committee will deduce the root cause behind the network outage, the source of it, and the losses NTC incurred. It will also try and identify what will compensate for the losses. The committee will submit its conclusions to the NTC in seven days.

What do you think of NTC setting up a high-level committee to investigate its network outage issue? Do you agree with the idea of this being a possible conspiracy against the state telco? Let us know your perspective in the comments.