SC Asked to Let Telecom Launch Phone Service

Kathmandu, Aug 19-The Ministry of Information and Communications on Thursday urged the Supreme Court to allow the Nepal Telecom to launch wireless local loop (WLL) service under Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system in the country. Five weeks ago, the court had stayed the NTC’s bid to launch the telephone lines through WLL system.
Furnishing a written reply before the apex court, the secretary at the ministry, Lok Man Singh Karki, said the Telecom has been planning to launch the CDMA system for the expansion of the telephone network in the nation. Stating the government had allowed the NTC to launch the new system, Karki said the NTC planned to distribute one million WLL lines across the country.
The ministry said there is an urgent need to provide telephone service to at least four per cent of the entire population. Currently, the service is available to 2.75 per cent of the population.
The secretary added that the ministry was planning to provide telephone lines to 15 per cent of the entire population. “As the National Planning Commission has also approved of the plan, it would be better to allow the Nepal Telecom to launch the service.” Furnishing a reply, the chairman of the Nepal Telecommunication Authority, Suresh Kumar Pudashaini, said the revenue collection would go up if the Telecom were allowed to launch the CDMA system because the demand for it is increasing.