Nepal Telecom (Ntc) began its 5G trial on Magh 22, 2079 BS (February 05, 2022) on the occasion of the company’s 19th anniversary at the Babarmahal and Sundhara sites. Currently, the company has 4 sites running internal testing for the fifth-generation cellular network with a plan for further expansion and public access in the coming months. Read more info about the Ntc 5G trial, spectrum, further progress, and more.
The company has been running internal tests of the most advanced cellular networks in its offices in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Birgunj. So far, the company has pinned the blame on the lack of compatible devices for the delay in public access. However, Communication Minister Rekha Sharma has said that the highly expectant 5G smartphone users across Nepal could get 5G access later this year.
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Ntc 5G trial progress so far 2024
So far, Ntc has installed the necessary infrastructure in the towers in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Birgunj. But just like in the capital, the trial remains internal meaning that the public will have to wait to test the speed of the fifth-generation cellular network outside the valley.
For now, Nepal Telecom has been testing 5G in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Birgunj respectively in Bagmati, Gandaki, and Madhesh Provinces. The company earlier said that the telco plans to test the network in the remaining four provinces- Koshi, Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim provinces. At the moment, the company is waiting on approval from NTA to do so. And just like in Kathmandu, the company will trial its 5G network first in its offices. So, till now, the Ntc 5G network is running in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Birgunj in the company’s offices with only its employees having access to it.
Check out: How to Check 4G and 5G Band Support on Your Smartphone
From NSA 5G to SA architecture
Ntc plans to start off with Non-standalone architecture (NSA) 5G in the beginning and then switch to the Standalone (SA) infra. In 5G vocabulary, NSA is a system that allows 5G to work on its own dedicated infrastructures. The SA is the opposite which allows the operators to use the existing telco gears and with a slight modification, can start the blazingly fast 5G. Currently, many mobile network operators (MNOs) across the world are employing the 4G LTE hardware to operate NSA 5G. Read more on SA and NSA 5G deployments
Ntc says that it will also switch on its 5G service to 4G LTE infrastructure with updated software on the core. Currently, the telco is testing available 5G devices on the network from 4 operational trial sites.
Free access to all when available
Nepal Telecom has planned to start its 5G trial across seven provinces. The company has said that “during the trial phase, everyone with a compatible handset can freely enjoy the coveted network on their devices for free. It added that both users and the service provider will experience something new with the latest mobile network and also form the basis for its expansion in Nepal.
Check out: 5G network in Nepal with spectrum, availability and compatible devices
Likewise, Ntc is importing 5G gear from abroad. It is identifying places from each province suitable for the trials. Ntc is preparing for the trial of the flagship 5G network trial in select locations in the remaining provinces.
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Ntc 5G frequency band 2600 MHz and speed
Ntc received the 5G approval and spectrum from NTA in 2021. Thus, the company is using the 2600 MHz band, also called the mid-band spectrum. It has 60 MHz frequency bandwidth for 5G operation which provides a decent mix of both coverage and speed potential. We have unsubstantiated information from sources that the Ntc 5G trial delivers up to 1 Gbps download speed. It’s an elusive performance and won’t necessarily translate to real-world usage.
However, the end user could get around 300-400 Mbps speed capacity which is a global trend currently. A broadband network may offer a very high speed but there are several factors that affect its real-world performance. Read this post to learn more: State of 4G Speed and its Influencing Factors
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Trial locations and when will the public get Ntc 5G?
After the first four sites in use for 5G trials, Ntc is in planning for its expansion. Next, the company could launch the trial in Nepalgunj, Biratnagar, and other cities. For rural settlements, a few rural municipalities will be selected around Kathmandu to accommodate diverse areas for the tests.
The company will also assess the possible use cases of 5G and its market demands when the public trial starts.
So far in 2024 (2080), the Ntc 5G trial is limited to the company insiders. But there is a likely possibility that the public will have access to it somewhere in FY 2080/81. Let’s hope that during this period, the Ntc 5G network expands and more and more brands/devices support the 5G network of Nepal.
Check out: 4G vs. 5G Mobile Network; Which One To Choose?
5G is the next-generation cellular technology that will succeed today’s 4G network. 5G network will arguably bring a significant transformation in mobile broadband with potential applications in health, education, manufacturing industries, etc. The network’s high speed and low latency mean interactive activities via the internet will see a remarkable improvement. Also, its rise will also see the irrelevancy and phase-out of legacy networks- 2G and 3G.
Do you feel that the Ntc 5G trial should be more fruitful for the company and the public? With the number of 5G devices growing in Nepal, the company should expedite bringing the next-generation cellular network to the end-users. What’s your take on the Ntc 5G protracted duration and do you think it’s time the company already rolled it out to the public? Do share in the comments below.