Nepal’s Smart Telecom secures 4G license

Nepal’s Smart Telecom has become the market’s third mobile operator to secure a 4G license from the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA).

The regulator has authorized Smart Telecom to launch 4G over its existing 1800-MHz spectrum holdings from July 30.

The license has been granted based on Nepal’s technology neutral spectrum principle, but has the condition that Smart Telecom must pay all unpaid spectrum, renewal and frequency fees by the July 30 deadline.

Smart will also be required to submit 4G operation reports to the regulator every three months, the report adds.

With the approval, three operators have now been cleared to launch 4G services. Nepal Telecom secured a license in October, while Ncell’s application was approved earlier this month.

Smart Telecom has announced plans to commence its 4G rollout in major cities including Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Pokhara, Birgunj and Bhairahawa. The operator is Nepal’s smallest mobile player by subscribers, with a market share of less than 1%.

Of the market’s six mobile operators, only United Telecom has also expressed an interest in launching 4G. But the regulator has yet to decide whether to grant a 4G license to the operator.