13 July 2022

Telecommunication services in Shuklaphanta Municipality-10, Jhalari Bazar in Nepal were disrupted for four days in early-mid June after telecom and internet services were disrupted because of accidental damage to the optical fibre line.

The loss of service was caused by the cutting of optical fibre in many places on the road, due to works being carried out by Ammarpur-Kaluwapur Drinking Water Users Committee and Urban Development Project in Jhalari.

The absence of a proper network caused problems with call services in GSM mobile phones.

Head of Mahendranagar branch of Nepal Telecom (NTC), Pritam Bhatta, told media that a breakage in the optical fibre caused difficulty in operating telecom services which has created trouble for the customers. According to senior engineer Prakash Bhatta, at the Attariya branch of NTC, where the optical fibres are located, the disruption occured from the 10-14 June.

Local media reports claim that consumers have demanded legal actions against the Users’ Committee and the contractor for the haphazard operation of heavy equipment, Bhatta stated action will be taken against those who cut the optical fibre line.

Meanwhile, NTC and Nepal Bank have reached an agreement through which the latter’s customers can use the bank’s app free of charge for a limited period. The deal is expected to help customers access mobile banking services more conveniently and on the move. Those benefitting from the partnership are those with an account at Nepal Rastra Bank, as well as NTC subscribers.

Both government-run companies signed the agreement at NTC’s central office in the capital, Kathmandu.