Ncell inks deal with NPABSAN and PABSON; Special monthly plan of 23 GB data to be available for teachers and students at Rs 250

Ncell Private Limited in collaboration with the National Private and Boarding Schools Association Nepal (NPABSAN) and Private and Boarding Schools’ Organization Nepal (PABSON) has launched a special monthly plan for online teaching and learning activities amid the COVID-19 resulting in the closure of schools across the country.

Ncell introduced the plan as per the memorandum of understanding (MoU) reached with two associations of private schools NPABSAN and PABSON recently to use Ncell’s mobile connectivity for the online class. The understanding is aimed at ensuring easy access to mobile broadband to students, teachers, and schools. 

In this monthly plan, students and teachers get a voice, data, and SMS service bundled SIM.  Subscribers get monthly 20GB dedicated data for an online class (via Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams), monthly 1GB 3G/4G data, and monthly 2GB 4G data. Similarly, they will get 120 min talk time every day for a call within CUG numbers, 50 min on-net monthly talk time, and 50 on-net SMS per month at just Rs 250 excluding applicable taxes in the monthly payment scheme.

Pradeep Shrivastava, Chief Commercial Officer of Ncell shared his thoughts, “COVID-19 has left every sector affected including that of education landscape accelerating the adoption of internet technology as a teaching medium both in a classroom and university setting. As we have acclimatized to the 'new normal', this rapid shift to distance learning as a necessity has highlighted the value technology and online learning in education. We are simply delighted to get this opportunity to collaborate with NPABSAN and PABSON and contribute towards e-learning and aid towards digitization of the education sector in Nepal.”

Both associations of private schools have stated that the collaboration will support students to be engaged in learning remotely through the use of digital platforms.

Ritu Raj Sapkota, President of NPABSAN said, “We are glad to join hands with Ncell for this special plan that helps connect our students with teachers virtually for online learning and teaching as there is still uncertainty regarding the opening of our schools.”

“This pandemic situation of COVID-19 has transformed the present education system dramatically and the trend of virtual learning has risen up in an unprecedented manner globally. We believe that this collaboration will support schools to conduct classes in line with the government`s stop measures to go virtual for now,” Tikaram Puri, President of PABSON.

Under the MoU, members of schools’ students, teachers, and staff members will be able to subscribe to this bundled service based on the recommendation letter of NPABSAN and PABSON to provide the offer to its member schools. The ownership of the SIM cards can be under the name of the institution or in the name of students as per their plan/choice/provision.