Expanding Nepal's Information Highway: Progress and Challenges
Nepal is making significant strides in expanding its information highway through the development of an optical fiber backbone network. Here are the key highlights of the project:
Fiber Connection Progress:
As of January 2023, the Nepal Telecommunication Authority has completed the fiber connection in an area of over 1,600 kilometers. The initial goal of the project was to expand the highways within two years, and so far, they have achieved 84 percent of their target by expanding to 1,671 kilometers.
Challenges in Expanding Fiber:
Despite the progress made, the fiber expansion work has been slow in some areas. For instance, in the Kosi, Madhes, and Bagmati provinces, as well as the Karnali and South-West regions, the work has been slow. Telecom has laid 1,341 kilometers of fiber out of 2,083 kilometers in the three provinces, connecting only 61.54 percent of the five-year period for the two-year contract.
Contract Cancellations and Delays:
The project has also faced some challenges due to contract cancellations and delays. For instance, the Nepal Telecommunication Authority canceled its contract with Smart Telecom in Karnali and Sudupashchim and entrusted the work to Nepal Telecom. Similarly, United Telecom's contract was canceled due to a case in the Supreme Court, causing delays in the Gandaki and Lumbini regions.
Budget Allocation:
The project has been allocated a budget of 9.89 billion 17 lakhs from the Rural Telecommunication Fund. Out of this, 2 billion 9 crore 38 lakh 67 thousand has been spent till the end of Magh in 2079.
Project Goals:
The ultimate goal of the project is to extend the fiber network to the district headquarters and every municipality parallel to it by taking the Madhyapahari public road as a base. To achieve this goal, 98 cores are used on the Madhyapahari Lokmarg, 48 cores on the road connecting the district headquarters and Madhyapahari Lokmarg with the East-West highway, and 24 cores of optical fiber are used up to the municipality.
Overall, Nepal's efforts to expand its information highway are commendable. However, the project still faces some challenges, such as slow progress in some areas and contract cancellations and delays. By addressing these challenges, Nepal can achieve its goal of providing high-speed internet connectivity to all regions of the country.
Published on 13th March 2023
