Last Updated on March 25, 2021
The government has decided to award the free 5G spectrum to Nepal Telecom for trial. So, this allows the government-owned company to use the 5G spectrum free for a year. Similarly, they also need to provide 5G services to people for free too.
The latest decision is taken by a meeting of the Radio Frequency Policy Determination Committee, under MoCIT Minister Mr. Parbat Gurung. Whereas they already decided to go for 5G network testing with the earlier meeting.
5G spectrum to Nepal Telecom only?
Similarly, they have already decided to provide the 5G spectrum to Nepal Telecom only for testing/trial purposes. So, this will deprive private telcos of the 5G testing.
There have been some voices raised against the decision that completely ignores the private telecom operators. Whereas this may be the compulsion of the Ministry to prefer Nepal Telecom as they can provide the service for free to the public, based on their modality.
Minister Gurung had already directed Nepal Telecom (NTC) to initiate 5G network testing within this fiscal year. He has been following the regulator and the telco to facilitate in providing all the required resources/policies for 5G lately.
Ministry has already sent a letter to NTA with the same directives. Now NTA will take proper actions to inform/award 5G spectrum as decided. For which, NTA also needs to prepare modality for the 5G testing and also which frequency to award. As known, the upcoming meeting of the Radio Frequency Policy determination committee can take the decision for defining the spectrum. Here are the possible 5G spectrum bands in Nepal.
Tell us what do you think of the free 5G spectrum to Nepal Telecom and the free 5G service to the public? Will you buy a 5G phone to use such a free service from Nepal Telecom, when it becomes available? Please comment below.
