MoCIT Minister Gokul Baskota paid a visit to NTA, the telecommunication regulator of Nepal for inspection. While inspecting, Minister Baskota has asked progress report of several projects in NTA. His focus was mainly on the several RTDF projects and also directs to expedite such projects. Also Find the list of pending regulation works in NTA.
NTA, Nepal Telecommunication Authority is an autonomous body for the regulation of telecommunication sector. Mr. Baskota as a departmental Minister reached NTA on Friday, enquired about various projects and asked to submit the progress reports.
There are several telecommunication projects under NTA RTDF fund. RTDF (Rural Telecommunication development fund) is a fund collected from all telecom operators with the amount 2 percent of the total income every year. A huge amount has been collected there, NTA is using it to fund several telecom development projects, focusing on rural areas.
There is no significant progress for the use of the fund in providing internet access and Telecommunication development in rural areas. So, Minister concerns about the delay in those NTA RTDF projects. As known, UTL and Smart Telecom has not still started the optical fiber expansion in Province 4 and 5. The optical fiber expansion project in Province 2 by Subisu has also completed only 30 percent works. As per THT, they should have completed the project by now.
As per Minister, Internet access helps to transform the country and realize developmental works. So, Minister expresses his intolerance to delay in such telecommunication projects.
Minister directs NTA to scrap the contracts in the projects with much delay. He also asks NTA to award such projects to other firms.
Delayed Regulation works
Although Minister raised concerns only for the Telecommunication projects under RTDF, there are many issues which have been shelved from a long time. Here are some of them (You can find out about each one of them by clicking it)
- Infrastructure Sharing
- Mobile device Management System OR EIR system.
- Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO)
- NTA Quality monitoring and compensation
- Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
- Beautification of cities by removing wires and cables.
- Telcos Merger Policy
After Minister’s concern and seek for a progress report, we can expect the NTA under the acting Chairman Mr. Purushottam Khanal to expedite the works for the telecommunication development.
