Kathmandu. With the decision of the Internet Service Providers Association of Nepal not to sell packages at fair prices and low speeds, there is a debate among Nepali consumers about whether the internet fee will be expensive. The association has said that it has been unable to provide cheap internet packages since last Monday.

The association had decided to shut down the fair price packages citing that the price of electronic chipsets has increased due to the rising fuel prices, fibre price hike, high inflation, and the rapid growth of AI after the tension in the Middle East.

With the decision of the association, private internet service providers have announced that the sale of cheap packages has been stopped. While the internet is becoming a part of daily life, the sudden closure of affordable packages has increased the suspicion that the lower class will be deprived of internet facilities.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of Nepal Telecommunication Company (Nepal Telecom), Dr. Kamal Lamichhane has said that there is no preparation or thinking of discontinuing the package or increasing the price. “The package that Telecom is selling to the customers will continue unabated. He said, “There is no thought of increasing the price now, the package provided by Telecom to the customers is very affordable rate.” ’

He claims that Telecom is selling annual and two-year internet packages at a reasonable price compared to other service providers. According to the company, customers who buy Telecom’s fiber internet package get 600 MB to 1000 MB of data daily on their mobile for free. One-month and three-month packages are also in operation. The details of the fiber internet package currently provided by the company can be seen on the website https://www. ntc. net. np/tariff/ftth-tariff.

“At present, the amount of internet bandwidth that we have given to the consumers is more than that, not less. The billing aspect is also transparent. “, said Lamichhane. Telecom claims that about 15 percent convenience has been provided on the convenience of buying a two-year package at once.

Currently, Telecom is providing 50 Mbps internet for one year to domestic customers for Rs 8,499. If you take two years of service at once, the customer has to pay only Rs 14,999. The company has said that you will get 600 MB of mobile data daily for free by paying the annual fee at once.

Nepal Telecom has fixed an annual tariff of Rs 10,499 for 75 Mbps internet, Rs 11,499 for 100 Mbps, Rs 12,999 for 150 Mbps and Rs 16,499 for 200 Mbps. As of mid-July last year, the number of subscribers connecting fiber internet to Nepal has reached 402,110.

Telecom has made internet connection and maintenance more systematic. “Customers who want to connect to the internet do not have to come to the office, they can directly call 198 to get the ‘demand’. “Spokesperson Lamichhane said, “We have kept the counters open even during public holidays and festivals to provide efficient service to the consumers.” Currently, Telecom’s fiber service has reached the centers of about 400 municipalities and municipalities in 77 districts. According to the company, this service is expanding.

“We are expanding the service in remote and remote areas without considering the benefits and costs in terms of national needs. “We are providing broadband internet service in areas where fiber internet is not available,” said spokesperson Lamichhane. The company claims that the investment of internet for consumers will be very low when calculating mobile data and various discounts along with fiber internet.

The fiber of the telecom can provide high-speed internet at once, as well as watch television with the chosen channel, use the telephone service, and also use mobile data. Nepal Telecom has named it ‘Three Plus One’ because four facilities can be run as per the need from a single wire.

‘Virtual set-top box’ to watch television now

NTTV, the television service provided by Nepal Telecom through NT Fiber, has brought the facility of allowing smart TV users to use the service without a ‘set-top box’. The company has provided a virtual set-top box for Android TV from October 15 till now.

Customers can use this virtual set-top box on their Android-based smart TVs. Customers can use the virtual set-top box by searching and installing ‘Smart NTTV’ on Google Play Store.

Nepal Telecom’s spokesperson Lamichhane said that preparations are underway to bring into operation a virtual set-top box that can be used in all smart TVs in the coming days. This service has been developed to be more customer-friendly.

When purchasing a new package, the customer will get a discount of one thousand rupees if he takes a package with a virtual set-top box. Telecom has been providing telephone, high-speed internet and television service through a single wire through NT Fiber. The company has provided various packages to use the television with a virtual set-top box. Mobile data facility is also available in annual and two-year packages.