NT coming up with tariff plan for Wi-Fi service
KATHMANDU, Nov 14:
Kathmandu Valley netizens, who have been using high-speed Internet service based on Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) technology in different public places, will soon start having to pay Nepal Telecom (NT) for the service.
NT, which has been letting people to use the service for free in its public Wi-Fi hotspots while it was running its trials, is in the final stages of preparing the tariff for the service.
“We will start charging users for the Wi-Fi service once our tariff plan is approved by the Nepal Telecom Authority (NTA),” Subash Chandra Sah, project manager of WiMAX, said, indicating that the state-owned telco was likely to introduce the tariff plan after the election.
NT is currently providing high-speed Wi-Fi Internet in six public places free of cost. The service was started in September.
According to NT officials, users will have to pay charge on time basis. To activate the service in the Wi-Fi hotspot area, customers need to send SMS to a four-digit number. NTC will then reply to the user with username and password. NT will then deduct the charge from the users´ balance.
Both the pre-paid and post-paid users of NT can use the service.
“We hope the service will become popular in Nepal as the number of people using smart devices is growing,” Sah said. “It will be the popular Internet service in Nepal as customers do not have to install outdoor or indoor Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), router or USB dongle.”
NT officials said Wi-Fi service will be available in the range of 100 to 150 meters from the hotspots depending on the access point (AP).
The state-owned telco is also planning to provide unlimited Internet service of 256 kbps for the owners of the building where hotspot is installed. However, building owners should provide 24-hour electricity, security and space for the device.
“We will be signing the contract with the owners for a period of five years initially which will be renewed every five years”, Sah said.
Currently, NT is providing free Wi-Fi service at Tribhuwan International Airport (both domestic and international terminals), Bir Hospital, Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital, Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre and different offices of NT. It has also installed Wi-Fi hotspot in Basantapur in collaboration with the Kathmandu Metropolitan City.
According to Sah, NT will install Wi-Fi hotspot in all domestic airports and NT regional offices soon. To begin with, NT hotspots will be installed at Dharahara, Patan Hospital and 12 domestic airports outside the Valley.
The state-owned telecom operator has already set up 375 base stations for WiMAX service. NT aims to install 400 base stations in total.
Currently WiMAX service is available in 71 districts.
Source: Republica
