Now Gautam’s fears have been alleviated. He has found a “virtual” meeting place with his son – the Internet. Sitting by the computer in their Bhimsen Gola home, the Gautam couple gets frequently connected with Suman, and they feel as if their son is just around.[break]
Unlike before, when handwritten letters used to take weeks to be delivered and expensive international calls used to flush your money out, your near and dear ones are now just a click away.
According to WordWeb, Internet is a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange.
With the introduction of Internet in Nepal in 1993, the country has witnessed rapid growth in the number of its users, and almost every sector of the country has become accustomed to it. The sprawling cyber cafes, and of late, skyrocketing sales of smart phones serve as a testimony that Internet has become an integral part of Nepali life.
The facility that was once limited to the porches of only a few well-off families have become common people’s cup of tea, thanks to gradual cutoff in prices. And it is this affordability that has helped to expand horizons of Internet’s outreach in Nepal.
According to Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), the sole regulating body of telecom services in the country, the year 2010 has seen double-fold increment in the number of Internet users, compared to the previous year.
“Our database has it that the number of Internet users has reached 1.1 million in 2010, which is double the number (half a million) of 2009,” says Arjun Ghimire, Deputy Director, Consumer & Economic Analysis Section of NTA.
Currently, 41 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and mobile service providers, including Nepal Telecom (NTC), NCell and United Telecom (UTL), among others, have been providing Internet services in Nepal.
Of the 1.1 million Internet users, the largest chunk – 900,000 – are subscribers to the GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) technology, which facilitates Internet surfing from mobile phones.
Lochan Lal Amatya of NTC said the number of Internet subscribers to the country’s largest telecom service provider is 280,692. He, however, said this is not the exact number of NTC’s Internet users.
“As three or four people use Internet facility from one subscriber – as in the case of ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, a fast way to connect to the Internet) – subscription number doesn’t tally Internet users’ numbers,” clarifies Amatya.
Unfolding NTC’s plans of expanding its connectivity, Amatya said NTC will set up 500 WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) Hotspots within this year. This facility (wireless transmission) will be mainly concentrated in Kathmandu and other major cities of the country.
“However, places having NTC’s BTS (Base Transmitter Station) towers will be able to get benefits of these Hotspots,” adds Amatya.
Whatsoever may the increment in the number of Internet users be, what percentage of the total populace are using Internet in Nepal is a fact to mull over.
According to the NTA, 3.94 % of the total populace – out of the projected population of 28 million – has Internet access. In 2009, the penetration was 1.87% of the projected 27 million population. This simply justifies that although there has been impressive growth in the number of Internet users in recent years, only urban-dwelling people are reaping the benefits.
What about the majority of the populace who live in rural areas?
Binay Bohra, President of Internet Service Providers Association of Nepal (ISPAN), admits that despite significant growth, Internet has become urban-centric, mostly in Kathmandu.
“The scenario of Internet penetration throughout the country is grim,” says Bohra. He opines that every household should have Internet connectivity in order to achieve tangible development goals, which he refers to as “last-mile technology.”
However, ADSL, CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and wireless technologies are doing their bits to cater to the needs of Nepal’s rural households. With more than 45,000 ADSLs, 87,000 CDMAs and 13,000 wireless subscribers, the country’s rural folks don’t necessarily have to feel dejected.
“We’ve been issuing licenses to rural ISPs so that every nook and cranny gets Internet connectivity,” says Ghimire.
The privilege that rural ISPs get is that NTA waives the licensing fee of Rs 300,000, which is otherwise mandatory. They can operate by paying a minimum fee of Rs 100 to NTA. Moreover, according to NTA, it has been operating telecenters in 58 places of 26 districts to make the far-flung villages connected by the Internet.
Although Nepal lags far behind in terms of comparative growth of Internet, we can see a glimmer of hope by its recent flourishing trends. If concrete plans are formulated and solid steps are taken to their materialization, Internet access won’t be a far-fetched thing for the majority of Nepali folks.
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