KATHMANDU, Feb 28: Users of the telecommunication services will be compensated if they undergo disruption from the service providers during the time period beyond the prescribed limit.
Time and again, Nepali telecommunications users have been facing service disruption, may it be from telecom operators or internet service providers. Likewise, through downsizing internet speed to their customers, many such companies are also found cheating their clients. Even the state-owned Nepal Telecom has not remained untouched by such anomalies.
Enforcing a bylaw on the quality of the telecommunication service, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has implemented the rule to provide compensation to the telecommunications service users. With the rule coming into effect, the general people will be getting compensation if the mobile data and voice package purchased do not function properly due to network failure.
In case of similar problems seen in the fixed broadband internet, service providers will have to compensate the users by waiving reasonable amount from the monthly charges or extending the service duration free of cost. Likewise, the NTA has also asked the companies to inform people about the time that will take for resumption of the services once they are disturbed.
The regulator has also fixed the timeline for the resumption of the disrupted services. In urban areas, telecommunications companies will have to resume 90 percent of the disturbed services in four hours, 95 percent in 24 hours and 99 percent in 48 hours. In case of rural areas, the timelines have been fixed at 90 percent recovery in four hours, 95 percent in 48 hours and 99 percent and more than 72 hours.
The NTA bylaws also talk about securing the internet speed that is purchased by the users. The purchased internet speed should be provided to the users even during the peak hours, according to the NTA.