It usually seems in Nepal that broadband connectivity has reached across the majority of the population. However, there’s a misinterpretation of this very fact. But those extensive figures of cellular mobile connection penetration haven’t translated to equal broadband use distribution. A report from DataReportal provides this stunning insight, which unveils a rather discrepant picture of Nepal’s broadband use, highlighting a stark reality from promising headlines.
Summary✨
- Nepal boasts high cellular connection numbers, with 32.4 million active connections as of late 2025, but the internet user count remains low at 16.6 million.
- A significant gap exists, as 44% of the population, or 13 million people, lacked internet access by the end of 2025.
- The report indicates that many mobile users prioritize voice and SMS, rather than utilizing mobile data or the internet on their devices.
- Despite 82.8% of connections now classified as ‘broadband,’ actual internet usage reflects a discrepancy in the figures due to multiple SIM card ownership.
- Social media usage stands at 14.8 million, with 89.3% of internet users engaging with at least one platform, highlighting a growing online presence.
The state of cellular penetration and data use
The DataReportal report shows that there were 32.4 million active cellular mobile connections in late 2025. This figure represents 109% of the country’s total population. But it’s suspected that the figures only include voice and SMS services and not data. Check out details on 4G users in Nepal.
The report shows that only 16.6 million people used the internet in Nepal at the end of 2025, while data user figures stood at 56%.
Nepal’s telecom regulator, Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), reports that 93.85% of Nepalis are on mobile broadband in terms of population penetration, while 51.62 are on fixed/fiber broadband. These stats do look great. However, it should also be noted that they are not unique numbers. For e.g., a user may have more than one SIM card. That is also counted in the NTA report.
Let’s explore more about mobile connections in Nepal
DataReportal sources GSMA Intelligence to state that there were 32.4 million cellular connections in Nepal at the end of 2025. As mentioned before, the report also admits that the inflated-looking figures must be due to people using more than one mobile connection. It further states that the use of eSIMs has further contributed to the growth of mobile connection stats.
The report says that mobile connections in Nepal rose by 559 thousand or +1.8% between 2024 and 2025.
DataReportal quotes GSMA Intelligence stating that 82.8% of Nepal’s mobile connections can now be called ‘broadband’. It’s because they are connected to 4G and 3G. It’s notable that NTC started shutting down 2G in 1800 MHz band. At the same time, private telco Ncell has started phasing out the 3G network too. The legacy networks’ days are numbered for a few years, as it seems now. That’s because 4G coverage has grown tremendously across the country.
However, the issue is that not every mobile user is using mobile data. They are using phones and SIM cards for voice and SMS. They may be on bar phones or prefer WiFi at home or office instead of mobile data to use the internet on the go.
16.6 million people used the internet in Nepal in 2025
DataReportal references Kepios to show that there were 16.6 million internet users in Nepal as of October 2025. That means Nepal’s internet penetration stood at 56% of the total population at the end of 2025. These figures were concluded with data from ITU, GSMA Intelligence, Eurostat, government bodies, etc.
The analysis holds that the number of internet users in Nepal rose by 42 thousand or by 0.3% between October 24 and October 2025.
What it also suggests is that a whopping 13 million people in the country didn’t have access to or use the internet at the end of 2025. It means 44% of the population was effectively offline.
It also reports that there were 14.8 million social media users in Nepal (including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X etc) as of October 2025. It’s equivalent to 50% of Nepal’s total population at the end of 2025. Out of all, 14.8 million were aged 18 and above, while 43.9% were female, while 56.1% were male. The same report also points out that 89.3% of Nepal’s internet users used at least one social media platform in October 2025.
Do read: Best ISPs in Nepal | 2026
Conclusion: Digital Divide remains, but is still improving
The report provides data based on unique subscriptions to data services and the lack thereof. This helps derive factual stats on the state of the internet in Nepal. But in its report, NTA also clearly mentions in its MIS Reports a ratio of one to 4 for broadband connections. It’s just that they tend to get ignored or skipped at times. Anyway, the real deal here is that the internet penetration in Nepal is still in need of more improvement, especially among the elderly and in remote regions where people are fine with just voice services. Also check out the importance of low frequency bands for mobile operator of Nepal.
Going ahead, the government needs to promote 4G and fiber services as the major form of communication technologies. Nepal is geared up to launch 5G network; however, without having far more people on the latest networks, the switch to next-generation technology may not make sense.
Also, things are improving too. NTC 4G coverage has reached beyond 98% local levels, with NTC fiber internet reaching all 77 districts. It’s that qualitative distribution and mass adoption needs to further improve.
