NTA to limit number of festival & Promotional offers for telcos

Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) is set to implement terms and conditions for promotional and festival offers for licensed voice service providers (telecom companies). The regulator says that it observed international practices before devising its own terms and conditions for Nepal’s voice service providers. So, before implementing them, it is seeking suggestions and instructions to be received by August 9, 2023.

The term and conditions make it mandatory for voice service providers to inform the regulator before launching festival/promotional offers. Additionally, it clearly states how many such offers operators can launch in a Fiscal Year.

NTA sets Terms and Conditions for the festival and promotional offers

Let’s find out the Terms & Conditions for voice service operators:

NTA states that voice service providers can offer two types of offers- festival and promotional offers valid for a short period. Between the two, festival offers shall not exceed 10 at once and 100 in a Fiscal Year. Similarly, promotional offers shall not exceed 25 products/packages a Fiscal Year. The regulator also holds that festival offers and promotional offers can last for a maximum of 15 days and 3 months respectively. While counting products/packages, if charges, validity, and benefits are different, then products/packages will be counted separately.
Offers launched on the occasion of festivals, celebrations, or special days must come at a lower cost than Regular Standard Approved Tariff. Likewise, they must include more benefits and come in the form of festival offers.
Products/packages which have different “features” from the Regular Standard Approved Tariff must come as promotional offers.

Check out: Comparison of All-Net Voice Packs by Ntc and Ncell

Must pre-inform NTA before launching offers

As per condition no. 1, service providers must inform the authority 7 days before launching a festival/promotional offer. Operators must state the date from when an offer comes into effect in its application to NTA.
As per condition no. 3, if customers won’t get additional benefits and concessions, then service providers can’t relaunch such products/packages as a festival offer.
As for promotional offers as per condition no. 4, if operators seek to relaunch a Promotional Offer, they need to submit an application to the authority for permission to regular permanent charges adhering to the existing regulation.
As per condition no. 1, operators need to pre-inform customers and the public about Festival and Promotional offers before their launching. Such offers must be practically usable by users within their validity.
If the number of promotional offers is short of a requirement, service providers can coordinate with NTA. The authority could make a necessary decision in such a scenario.

Currently, telcos offer multiple voice packages however, they have been confusing to many as per NTA officials. The Terms % and Conditions will help make them clear and transparent to the end users.

How to contact NTA?

You can reach out to NTA for instructions, suggestions at different means. You can contact the authority at its GPO Box: 9754, or call it at 01-5355250. You can also send a mail to it at info@nta.gov.np or ntra@nta.gov.np.