Nepal set to approve 4G launches

Nepal’s telecoms regulator will soon approve two of the three applications it has received from operators seeking to operate 4G services.

The Nepal Telecommunications Authority’s (NTA) Frequency Management Department has recommended that the regulator allow both Nepal Telecom and Ncell to launch 4G services.

But the department rejected the proposal of a third operator, Smart Telecom, after finding that the operator failed to meet certain prerequisites. Eligibility was determined based on factors an operator’s current services and its performance under the Unified License issued to it.

As soon as the NTA board passes the recommendation, Nepal Telecom and Ncell will be able to launch 4G services.

The operators have been requesting to launch 4G for months, by repurposing the 1800-MHz spectrum currently being used to provide 3G services.

But the NTA was not able to approve the proposals until the government passed amendments to the existing radio frequency policy. The ICT ministry has now endorsed the amendments to the policy.

According to the report, Nepal Telecom has asserted it will be able to launch 4G services within two months of receiving a license.