Do not sell more than two sim card for each person: NTA

As multiutilisation of mobile number has been suspected of increasing criminal activities, the telecom regulator has made it stricter for the telecom service providers not to sell more than 2 sim cards in a bid to check the supposedly misuse.
Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has directed telecommunication service providers to stop selling more than two SIM/RIM cards to each person in a bid to stop the misuse especially in criminal cases. The NTA had directed cellular companies to enforce the new provision from July 8, according to the telecom regulator that also claimed that multiple uses of SIM/RIM cards pose a potential risk on digital payment and banking systems.
However, customers can take two sim cards from each service provider.
The increasing use of digital payment systems has made transactions more efficient in several ways but the untraceability of digital cash may encourage criminal activities such as money laundering, according to the regulator. “It could also pose a potential risk for criminal activities, with the utilisation of multiple cards on other digital services and social media which stores customer information in the phone,” it said, adding that the limited distribution of cards for each individual will, however, make it easier to trace the activities. “As the government is also planning to introduce a Citizens Apps, where mobile phones will be the primary way to access it, the limited distribution of SIM cards will minimise potential criminal activities.”
In line with the regulator’s directive, Nepal Telecom (NT) has also directed service providers to issue a limit of three SIM/RIM cards per person using CDMA service. “The parents should provide a proof of relationship document as well as other documents when getting a SIM card for minors,” the directives reads, adding that telecom service providers can only issue one SIM or RIM card per minor. “In case of customers, who already have registered more than one SIM card from telecommunication service providers, the cards need to be registered under the names of people who have been using it.”
The regulator has also warned the telecommunication service providers that they will face action as per the Telecommunication Act, 2053, if they do not follow the directives by the authority.
There are four licenced telecommunication service providers, but Nepal Telecom (NT), Ncell and Smart Cell have been providing the service.

Telephony customer reaches 33 million milestone

Nepal reached 33 million voice telephony subscribers in October 2016, up from 31.4 million in June. The mobile voice subscriber base amounted to 31.3 million users in mid-June, up from 29.7 million in June, according to data from the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA). "The total included 29.8 million GSM users, and 1.46 million subscribers to Nepal Telecom's CDMA service."
Nepal Telecom led the country’s voice telephony services market in October, with a total of 16 million subscribers, followed by Ncell with 14.6 million, according to the NTA's management information system (MIS). "The country had a mobile teledensity of 118.3 percent at mid-October 2016, while fixed teledensity reached 3.22 per cent," it revealed, adding that Nepal also had 14.4 million data/internet services users at October 17, and an internet penetration of 54.42 per cent.

Internet base slips to 7.59 million

The internet subscriber base in the country has slipped to 7.59 million in mid-December from 7.66 million a month earlier, according to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA).

The internet penetration rate has also dropped slightly to 28.63 per cent, it said, adding that Ncell has 3.58 million mobile internet (GPRS, Edge, WCDMA) users, up from 3.80 million in mid-November and UTL's EV-DO mobile internet base stood at 99,265, unchanged from a month earlier.
Likewise, Nepal Telecom's total internet base stood at 3.68 million, the same as in November. NT's dial-up base fell to 4,756 from 4,765 but its ADSL base was up at 121,279 versus 106,970 in November.

Nepal Telecom also served 3.54 million mobile internet subscribers, up from 3.43 million, and 136,573 EV-DO subscribers, the same as reported a month ago. The company further reported 6,049 customers for its new Wimax service, up from 5,382 a month earlier. Other ISPs served 97,691 internet customers through dial-up (10,197), wireless and fibre (63,040) and cable modem (24,454). Other ISPs connected 89,216 internet subscribers last month.

Nepal Telecom to introduce new social network site

Nepal Telecom plans to introduce a new social network site in March, The telecom service provider has been testing the site internally at present.

Managing director of the company Anoop Ranjan Bhattarai, today said that the social site will have the same facilities as Facebook, plus Skype, group message and Viber facilities. "Nepal Telecom has not yet named the site."

The new social network aims to initially benefit one million users, moving to 10 million people at a later date. Nepse-listed Nepal Telecom has invested Rs 900 million so far to construct the social network site.

Likewise, he urged the the regulatory bodies to simplify public procurement process to help company upgrade technologically, and remain competent in the market.

Though Nepal Telecom is competitive, it is finding difficult to upgrade technologically due to procurement act, he added, on the occasion of 10th anniversary.

The company that had earned Rs 11.2 billion net profit in the last fiscal year, is providing telecommunication service to almost one million customers through its GSM, CDMA, landlines, Wimax and ADSL internet services.

The company had also contributed Rs 7.6 billion to the government coffer as tax in the last fiscal year.

The company’s priority is to increase the country’s digital inclusion by expanding our digital presence all over the nation,” he added.

However, chief secretary Leela Mani Poudyal on the occasion, said that there is no legal barriers to the Nepal Telecom to expand its market. Emphasising on the need to focus on improving its service quality, he said that company can only survive in the long run if it can provide the customers with better and quality services

Special offers flood
KATHMANDU: Nepal Telecom's postpaid GSM and CDMA customers will get free 50MB data per month for the next three months. The company has announced discounts for its customers on the occasion of its 10th anniversary.

Internet base grows to 7.66 million in November

The internet subscriber base stood at 7.66 million in mid-November, up from 7.40 million in mid-October, according to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA).

The internet penetration rate has been up to 28.92 per cent in mid-November versus 27.92 per cent a month earlier, it said, adding that Ncell witnessed its mobile internet base (GPRS, Edge,WCDMA) go up to 3.80 million from 3.65 million a month earlier, whereas UTL's EV-DO internet base was stable at 99,265 and Nepal Telecom's total internet base stood at 3.68 million. The Nepal Telecom's dial-up base slipped to 4,765 from 4,770 but its ADSL base was up at 106,970 from 103,462 in October. It also served 3.43 million mobile internet subscribers, up from 3.31 million, and 136,573 EV-DO subscribers, the same as reported a month ago.

Nepal Telecom further reported 5,382 customers for its new Wimax service, up from 4,451 a month earlier, the regulatory authority's monthly report stated, adding that other ISPs served 89,216 internet customers, down slightly from 89,219 reported in October.

Three out of every four Nepalis have mobile

Three out of every four Nepalis have mobile, if the recent data released by the telecommunications authority is to believe.

In a country of 26 million population, mobile subscribers' base has increased to 19.59 million in mid-October – up from 19.40 million in mid-September – figures of Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) revealed.

Though, in most of the urban areas, professionals have two to three mobile, the report stated that a total of 18.60 million use GSM – up from 18.43 million – and the remainder uses Nepal Telecom's CDMA service.

Ncell led the GSM market with 10.81 million subscribers – up from 10.76 million a month ago – while Nepal Telecom had 7.80 million GSM subscribers – up from 7.67 million in September – and the Nepse-listed company also had 987,363 CDMA customers, up from 973,392 a month earlier.

Likewise, the fixed telephony base also grew slightly in October to 847,973 from 847,008 a month earlier, it said, adding that the total includes 649,091 PSTN subscribers and 198,882 WLL telephony users. Nepal Telecom led with 643,263 PSTN customers, down from 642,353 a month earlier, while STM Telecom Sanchar's base was flat at 5,230 customers. Smart had 598 PSTN public phone centres, the same as in the previous month. Nepal Telecom also served 122,862 WLL customers, down from 123,041 in September, while Nepal Satellite Telecom's WLL base was stable at 2,950 subscribers. UTL had 73,070 WLL customers, up from 72,836 in the prior month.

Meanwhile, the number of limited mobility subscribers stood at 1.66 million versus 1.61 million a month earlier and Global Mobile Personal Communications (GMPCS) users numbered 1,742, it revealed.

Sim shipments grow by nine per cent

Sim shipments grew by six per cent to 4.6 billion units in 2012 from 4.4 billion units in 2011 for SIMalliance members, which account for around 90 per cent of the worldwide sim market.

"The total available market has grown by an estimated nine per cent to 5.1 billion units in 2012 from 4.7 million a year earlier," it said.

The highest growth region was North America, up by 32 per cent to 216 million sims shipped, as CDMA transitions to Long Term Evolution (LTE). Africa saw 20 per cent growth to 499 million units and western Europe grew by 11 per cent to 275 million as smart device usage increased and boosted demand for micro and nano sims.

SIMalliance members also reported 20 million Near Field Communication (NFC) shipments in 2012, an 87 per cent rise on 2011. The top NFC sim markets were Japan and Korea at 21 million units and Western Europe at six million.

SIMalliance members saw a 42 per cent increase in shipments of soldered sims designed specifically for machine-to-machine (M2M) applications (MFF2 form factor), due to increased usage in automotive and utilities, it added.