Telecom regular Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has issued a 35-day ultimatum to various internet service providers (ISPs) to pay their share for the rural telecommunication development fund (RTDF).
The authority released a notice in which it directed the concerned ISPs to pay their RTDF within the next 35 days. The ISPs in Nepal need to submit 2% of their annual income to the RTDF of NTA. The authority utilizes these funds for telecom service expansion and upgrade works in rural and remote regions of Nepal.
Many ISPs with email service licenses haven’t submitted their audited financial report, royalty amounts, and RTDF to the government. The companies have failed to meet this duty. Although NTA says that it approached the companies multiple times to fulfill their RTDF contribution.
Also: NTA completes RTDF Mid-Hill optical fiber project in Koshi Province, ready for sharing
NTA gives 35-day ultimatum to ISPs to pay their RTDF
“Until now, despite repeated correspondence, emails, and notices from the authority to ISPs to submit the outstanding amount as per the rules, the amount and the official details have not been paid, and the authority has not been contacted. Therefore, all concerned are hereby informed through this notice to submit the remaining outstanding amount along with the details and documents as per the rules and inform the Authority,” NTA stated in its notice.
For the unaware, the popular free NTA broadband project utilized RTDF ‘funds’ to complete. The project connected ward offices, health centers, community schools, etc., with a high-speed fiber broadband connection.
The authority has warned that if the ISPs don’t come forward and pay their RTDF within the next 35 days. If they fail to comply with, they will face legal action under Section 28 of the Telecommunications Act, 2053.
Companies told to pay their RTDF to NTA
These are the companies that NTA has told to submit their 2% share for RTDF:
| SN | Service Provider Name/Address |
| 1 | Beni Communication Pvt. Ltd., Beni |
| 2 | Prime Network Pvt. Ltd., Bharatpur |
| 3 | Broadband Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Bhandara |
| 4 | Nepal Net Sanchar, Birtamod |
| 5 | Big Marsyangdi Net Pvt. Ltd., Besisahar |
| 6 | Sangila Informatics Pvt. Ltd., Anamnagar |
| 7 | Divine Stream Network Pvt. Ltd., Battisputali, Kathmandu |
| 8 | Simple Media Network Pvt. Ltd., Bhainsepati, Lalitpur |
| 9 | Everest Wireless Network Pvt. Ltd., Narayan Nagarpalika-1, Dailekh |
| 10 | Smartlink Telecommunication Pvt. Ltd. |
| 11 | Metrolink Business Pvt. Ltd., Rupandehi |
| 12 | Kshireswar Network Pvt. Ltd. |
| 13 | G.R.S. Link Internet Service Pvt. Ltd., Damauli, Tanahun |
| 14 | Pulse Network Pvt. Ltd., Butwal |
| 15 | Goreto Communication Pvt. Ltd., Pokhara-8, Kaski |
| 16 | Ultranet Communication Pvt. Ltd., Banepa |
| 17 | Kalika Net Pvt. Ltd., Syangja |
| 18 | Unified Communication Pvt. Ltd., Damak |
| 19 | Kriti Darshan Media Pvt. Ltd., Sunsari |
| 20 | Unite Networks Pvt. Ltd., Bardibas |
The authority has warned that if the ISPs don’t come forward and pay their RTDF within the next 35 days. If they fail to comply with, they will face legal action under Section 28 of the Telecommunications Act, 2053.
