Wednesday, July 10, 2019

ISPs to hike 13 per cent in internet fees from July 17

The Internet Service Providers Association of Nepal (ISPAN) is increasing internet fees by 13 per cent with effective from July 17 as the government failed to implement the previous agreement reached with them. As a result, the internet subscribers will have to bear additional burden of at least Rs 100 on a minimum package, while other internet packages will be costlier.
ISPs had decided to raise internet fee by 13 per cent – in mid-July last year – following the government’s decision to impose 13 per cent telecommunication service charge (TSC) on internet services with effective from the beginning of the current fiscal year. However, they revoked the decision after the government’s assurance of subsidising 6.5 per cent of the TSC and waive TSC on internet wires and routers, leased line data connectivity and repair costs. The government had also assured the ISPs that it would share half of the TSC burden imposed on internet services.
But the government failed to walk the talk of implementation of sharing 50 per cent of TSC imposed on internet services which has forced the ISPs to hike the cost, according to chairman of ISPAN Bhoj Raj Bhatta.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has however urged them to discuss before putting additional financial burden on to customers. The government has brought the policy to increase the access of internet by bringing the price down.

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