KATHMANDU, Feb 9: Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) is planning to expand broadband internet service in the Everest Base Camp and the Annapurna Base Camp - two major trekking areas of the country.
Speaking at 'Nepal Broadband Forum 2017-- Enabling Digital Economy For a Better Connected Nepal: Transforming Nepal into a Broadband Nation By 2022' in Kathmandu on Wednesday, Chairman of Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) Digambhar Jha said that the authority was planning to expand the service from Lukla to the Everest Base Camp and to the Annapurna Range. “NTA is also working to extend Internet facility all over the country,” Jha said, adding that Internet connectively to these places will help to increase tourist footfalls in the country and can promote tourism in the international market. Jha further added that quality Internet service to these rural areas will also promote e-health, e-education, e-learning, e-banking and e-business among others.
“We have already held several rounds of talks to lay optic fiber in these two regions. We will bear bandwidth cost for two years so that people of the area know the importance and benefits of Internet,” Jha added.
Speaking at the program, Mahendra Man Gurung, secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, lauded the role of private sector in the development of ICT sector.
“There is a serious need to improve ICT infrastructures to reap more benefits from ICT,” he said, adding that the country will be developed only after ICT infrastructures are built in rural areas.
Likewise, Micheal Macdonald, chief technology officer of South East Asia region, Huawei, said that Nepal needs quality Internet facility as huge population of the country, who are in foreign land, needs to get in touch with their friends and family back home. “The growth of ICT sector is the key for fast economic development. ICT can help in the development of transportation, education, health and many more,” Macdonald added.
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