KATHMANDU, Aug 8: Dropped calls, unreliable networks, limited high-speed coverage and lingering complaints about customer service could soon face greater scrutiny as the Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) moves to raise the quality of mobile services across the country.
The telecommunications regulator has issued an eight-point directive to service providers, requiring them to improve network reliability, customer services, technology coverage and tariff systems while strengthening cyber and network security.
The directive, issued on Friday, puts the quality and reliability of mobile services at the top of the regulator’s agenda. Telecommunications companies will now be required to improve customer experience and submit regular reports demonstrating their compliance with standards set by the NTA.
The regulator has also placed greater emphasis on how telecom companies respond to customers when services fail or problems arise. Service providers have been directed to establish effective 24-hour mechanisms for resolving customer complaints, including through the use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
They will also have to conduct regular customer satisfaction surveys to assess the quality of services and identify areas requiring improvement.
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Push for wider and better networks
The NTA has called for a phased expansion of 4G services across the country and instructed service providers to prepare plans for launching 5G services in major cities.
The regulator has also directed companies to identify rural and industrial areas that remain outside the reach of high-speed broadband services and expand their networks to those locations.
To improve transparency over network coverage, service providers will have to update their service-area details on the map of Nepal every quarter.
Closer scrutiny of tariffs
The directive also seeks to bring greater transparency and rationality to telecommunications tariffs.
Service providers have been instructed to adopt a scientific, transparent and market-oriented tariff system. They will have to submit proposals to the NTA based on a “cost-based tariff analysis” to review existing service fees in line with market demand and technological developments.
The move is aimed at ensuring that tariffs better reflect the cost of providing services while also taking changing market conditions and technological advances into account.
Stronger focus on security
The regulator has simultaneously called for stronger safeguards against cyber and network security threats.
Telecommunications companies have been directed to conduct regular security audits and prepare disaster recovery and business continuity plans to ensure that critical services can continue during disruptions.
The NTA has also asked service providers to maximize the use of radio frequencies and make more effective use of national resources. Companies have been urged to coordinate infrastructure investment and avoid unnecessary duplication of telecom infrastructure.
The latest directive signals a broader shift in the regulator’s approach—from simply expanding telecommunications access to ensuring that consumers receive reliable, secure and reasonably priced services.
For millions of mobile users, the real test will be whether the new instructions translate into fewer service disruptions, better network coverage, faster complaint resolution and a more consistent mobile experience.
