Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) called for interested applicants for the implementation of free WiFi networks in tourist and religious places in Nepal. The regulator uses its internal fund for the WiFi network tender. Targeting the Visit Nepal 2020, the NTA WiFi project was launched to help tourists connect to the internet in popular tourist hotspots.
As planned, NTA selected the operator through a competitive bidding process with which the selected one will install, operate, and manage the WiFi network with free internet access. NTA accepts that the internet connectivity in tourist destinations is not reliable and fast so this project will improve the status of connectivity there. To expand the ICT infrastructure in all tourist places as envisioned by ICT Policy 2015, NTA plans for wide Wifi coverage in popular areas that are magnet for tourists.
NTA selected the historic, cultural, religious, and tourist places in Nepal for the free WiFi zones. For this, NTA divided all the places into three packages. Package A is for the trekking routes of Annapurna Circuit and Muktinath temple. Whereas Package B is for the WiFi internet connection along the route to Everest base camp. Similarly, Package C includes popular religious destinations like Janaki Temple, Pathivara, Halesi Mahadev, Barah Chettra, Gurudwara, Jame Mosque, and Panch Kashmiri Takiya.
The timeline for the implementation of a WiFi network was for six months whereby they should lay optical fiber, install routers, and towers, and operate the WiFi network.
NTA WiFi Project Features for Tourist Places
Some of the features of the WiFI project are:
- The dedicated internet bandwidth in each location shall be from 10 Mbps to 25 Mbps and the cached bandwidth shall range from 50 Mbps to 125 Mbps. The more remote the location, NTA gives more reliable internet bandwidth. The most difficult place of Everest base camp (EBC) requires 10 Mbps dedicated internet bandwidth and 50 Mbps cached.
- The WiFi AP shall be 2.4 GHz and 5 MHz with seamless exchange/operation after authentication.
- They need to authenticate the user with a One-time password (OTP) sent by SMS to their mobile number and then provide free WiFi access.
- List of Free WiFi in Kathmandu by KMC.
- The free WiFi will last for 15 minutes and the speed will be 1 Mbps. After this, the customer shall purchase different approved packages online.
- The selected operator shall operate, manage, and monitor the Wi-Fi network for 5 years.
- The operator shall pay a 4% annual Royalty and 2% as a Remote telecommunication development fund to the Government of Nepal.
- The operator shall have software for the operation and maintenance of the WiFi System.
READ: How to connect WiFi internet in your home?
NTA needs to select the best candidate to provide a WiFi solution in popular tourist routes and religious locations. We extend our best wishes to NTA for the successful completion of the WiFi project on time.
Please put your comment on the NTA WiFi project targeting visitors to Nepal below in the comment section.
