According to a source at NTA, the forbidden websites are www.nepalicalls.com, www.rynga.com, www.smartvoip.com, www.jamblo.com, and a website with domain 74.133.125.114.
NTA Officer Dipesh Acharya informed Republica that those websites were running illegally. He said people could make calls anywhere in the world throughout the world with just a rupee. Acharya said customers sued to get a pin code using credit card and the pin code was used to make phone call illegally.
NTA decided to ban the websites after finding that some calls, which were related to criminal activities, were made through these websites. Due to such websites, legal telephone operators and the government were losing handsome revenue. Customers pay 13 percent VAT and 10 percent telecommunication´s service charge for using telecom service.
Binaya Bohara, chairperson of Internet Service Providers´ Association of Nepal, said they have blocked all the websites after the direction of NTA. “Many cyber cafes were using those websites to make call at cheaper rates,” he added.
As per existing law, organizations must take permission from NTA to use internet for voice calls. Only 19 companies have taken the permission to run this service so far.
NTA has also asked Nepal Telecom, Spice Nepal, UTL and STM Telecom to immediately block those websites.
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