Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) is unlikely to block or blacklist any unregistered phones as opposed to its last stance. Earlier, at the budget speech for FY 2080/81, Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat announced that the government will allow unregistered phone owners to register their phones in MDMS by the end of Ashar, 2080 BS or face blacklist from Ashar 01. And despite the deadline already crossed, there has been no official decision by the authority or government yet. So, you likely register your phone’s IMEI in MDMS. The government has fixed fees for the registration of Android, iPhone, and bar phone for MDMS registration. More details are below.
Mahat announced new measures through an economic bill 2080 that will make new procedures for grey phone registration. As known, there are around 50 lakh mobile phones in Nepal which will get this last chance to become legal in Nepal. The FY 2080/81 has started but the authority says that devices that haven’t been in MDMS yet won’t face any blacklisting as yet.
NTA Assistant spokesperson Achyutananda Mishra shared that unregistered phones (grey phones) aren’t being blocked immediately. He said, “Financial Bill 2080 has made special provisions regarding mobile phone registration. But there is no clear provision regarding grey phones. Therefore, mobile phones in the grey list remain operational. Later, we will decide on what to do with them as per the decision by the government.”
There is also unofficial news that the government could extend the grey phone registration deadline by one month. Currently, over 50 lakh mobile phones are operating without MDMS registration in Nepal, as per NTA sources.
As per the latest arrangement, phones can be registered with their IMEI number after paying the charges to the regulator.
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MDMS phone registration cost for iPhone, Android, and Bar phone
NTA is charging Rs 10,000 for iPhones and other devices costing over Rs 1 lakh for MDMS registration per unit. Likewise, Android phones will cost Rs 3,000 per unit to become legal with registration. In the meantime, bar phones will cost Rs 200 for their registration per unit.
| MDMS phone registration cost | Price |
| Phones above 1 Lakh and new iPhones | Rs 10,000 |
| Midrange Android Phones (< 1 lakh) | Rs 3,000 |
| Bar phones | Rs 200 |
The owners who pay for registration must submit the amount to the concerned tax account designated by the Finance Ministry. With the payment document being the proof, phones could go in for the registration process.
However, Nepalese working abroad for at least 6 months can bring two cellular phones to Nepal without paying customs charges. A person in concern must have supportive documents to prove his abroad employment.MDMS came into operation from Jestha 01.
As per reports, there are around 25% of grey phones in circulation in Nepal. If they miss out on registration, they will be on the blacklist. As a result, these phones won’t be able to use telecom service on any network in Nepal. Therefore, we urge our readers to ensure that their phone is legally working or register them in time.
Check out: How to register your phone IMEI online in Nepal?
How to register a grey phone in the MDMS system in Nepal?
NTA has started an online system to help you register your “grey” phone in the MDMS system. If you carry a grey iPhone, Android, or a bar phone, then you can finally register it at NTA’s MDMS portal. Remember that you need to pay charges for the type of phone you are registering.
To register your grey phone follow the steps below,
- First, visit this link
- Submit your device’s details such as IMEI, personal details, and your address
- Click on “Proceed to Next Step”.
- Choose your preferred mode of payment from eSewa, Khalti, and ConnectIPS
- After paying the charges for your phone type, your grey phone’s MDMS registration will be complete.
You need to be careful that after paying the amount, your phone’s details cannot be changed. And even if the payment completion is not notified, it will be treated as a payment. The authority has requested that those who submit the form shall check if their phone is registered or not in MDMS.
In the meantime, the Customs Department has also asked grey phone owners to register their devices that have been imported till Jestha 15, 2080. And despite the Ashar deadline, you can still register your currently unregistered phone as there is no confirmation regarding the blacklisting or any provision for such phones.
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But you shouldn’t worry about the status of your grey phone. As NTA says, it will remain operational but that means you need to speed up your registration process as the government might make a firm decision on such phones soon.
