Nepal Telecom (NTC) has started the procedure for the sharing of telecommunication infrastructure. Releasing a notice, the company called on willing candidates to use its optical fiber on lease in Koshi Province. As per this plan, the state-backed company will cooperate and share infrastructure with others in 10 routes of Koshi Province.
The optical fiber lines in Koshi province are built in collaboration between Ntc and Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA). The infrastructure utilized the resources from the Rural Telecommunication Development Fund RTDF. It’s a sum of money communication service providers contribute to the authority annually. NTA injects the funds for improvement and expansion projects of communication in the country.
Ntc has requested the willing individuals with licenses to apply for sharing optical fiber infrastructures with Ntc.
Nepal Telecom calls for applications to share telecom infrastructures
In the notice released by Nepal Telecom central office, Bhadrakali Plaza in Kathmandu, the company has expressed a will to cooperate and use its infrastructure with partners in many routes in Koshi Province. These are:
- Birtamod-Itahari
- Itahari-Dharan
- Dharan-Hile
- Hile-Basantapur
- Sankranti Bazar-Myanglung
- Fidim-Sankranti Bazar
- Chandragadhi-Charaali-Ilam
- Birtamod-Charaali
- Dhurmi-Diktel
- Dhurmi-Okhaldhunga-Salleri
Also recommended: Challenges of Telecom operators in Nepal
The ambitious vision is coming into implementation
Infrastructure-sharing has been one of the most significant pitches for the government for the telecommunication industry. NTA has also placed into effect the bylaws regarding the policy and pricing for infrastructure sharing. And despite some hindrances, the policy is slowly getting attention and implementation. Sharing Infrastructure enables faster and better communication service accessibility, improves high-quality service delivery, and maintenance, and drives down the costs for services.
The willing individuals or companies who share another company’s infrastructure will have to bring it into use in 3 months. NTA’s bylaw states that the company that calls for applications for infrastructure sharing must select the company in a first come first serve module.
