WorldLink and Ncell earned the highest in their industry, how much others generated?

WorldLink is Nepal’s largest internet service provider (ISP) and also registers the highest earning among the competitors while in the telecom market, Nepal Telecom and Ncell both remain highly prominent due to their duopoly and the lack of a cut-throat competition from others. Let’s start with ISPs.

In Nepal’s crowded ISP market, a handful of companies make money. Private service providers WorldLink, Vianet, Subisu, and Classic Tech, are a few prominent competitors with commendable user base and coverage around the country who have remained consistently dominant in the industry for years. They generate huge revenues every year and also contribute to the government in taxes. In this post, we are writing about a few top-earning internet service providers in Nepal. We are basing our data on NTA’s report regarding the company’s revenue in 2078/79.

WorldLink earning surpasses Rs 9.19 billion

According to the report, WorldLink was the highest earner in FY 2078/79 generating a staggering Rs 9 billion, 19 crore, 91 lakhs, and 36 thousand in revenue. The company has over 7.7 lakh unique customers across the country which is by far the largest for an ISP in Nepal.

Subisu Cablenet Limited took second position in the highest revenue earning list. The private ISP brought in Rs 3 billion, 21 crores, 57 lakhs, and 17 thousand in FY 2078/79. The company has over 2.6 lakh users around the country.

Third is a rather less familiar name- Techminds Network. The company earned Rs 2 billion, 25 crores, and 57 lakhs in the same Fiscal Year. Despite being comparatively less popular, the ISP left some heavyweights behind in earnings.   

Then at fourth rests Vianet Communication with Rs 2 billion, 3 crores, 71 lakhs in revenue. Vianet is the pioneer of fiber internet and IPTV services in Nepal. Recently, the company launched Nepal’s first- 2 Gbps internet package which is available for a select few areas in Kathmandu.

After Vianet, Classic Tech took the fifth position in revenue ranking with Rs 85 crore, 99 lakhs. It’s highly likely that in the coming months and years, Classic Tech’s financial indicators will grow very strong as it’s one of the fastest-growing entities among the ISPs in the last couple of years. The company has already amassed over 2.70 lakh customers and has expanded its internet and IPTV services to 74 districts.

Dish Media which owns Dish Home FiberNet generated Rs 77 crore, 33 lakhs in revenue. The DTH-turned-ISP entered the internet business in 2020 and has already become a prominent competitor in the industry.

NTA report shows that there are currently 63 internet service providers in Nepal.

Top revenue making ISPs in Nepal

Here are the top revenue among the ISPs in Nepal as per the NTA data:

Check out: Best ISP Internet Service Providers in Nepal in 2023: Comparing Packages, Prices, Speed and Offers

Among the telecom operators

Nepal only has two mobile network operators currently- Nepal Telecom (NTC) and Ncell Axiata after Smart Cell lost its operating license. The two boast a duopoly in Nepal’s mobile service market and remain big earners.

The FY 2078/79 Nta data shows private operator Ncell coming ahead of the government-backed Nepal Telecom in revenue generation. During the period, Ncell drew in Rs 39 billion, 50 crores, and 50 lakhs. On the other hand, Ntc generated Rs 37 billion, 55 crores, and 30 lakhs. Nepal Telecom provides fixed line phone, home broadband internet, Mobile Voice/SMS, 4G broadband, and other communication services around the country. While Ncell is solely a mobile service operator with 4G broadband service across the country. Ntc is also testing 5G in its offices in Bagmati, Gandaki, and Madhesh provinces and the company expects a public rollout later this Fiscal Year FY 2080/81.

Overall, all the ISPs and telcos contributed to Rs 3 billion, 43 crores, 92 lakhs in royalty and Rs 1 billion, 71 crore, and 45 lakhs in Rural Telecommunications Development Fund (RTDF) of the regulator Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA).