State-run telecommunications service provider Nepal Telecom (NT) has speeded up work to extend coverage to about 175 new locations across the country. The network will be expanded to these places within a year, the company said. 

NT said that work had been completed in some areas. Among the 175 new locations, 138 will have base transceiver stations (BTS) or network extension platforms that will be shared with other phone companies. 

NT will have solo presence in 35-40 places. Currently, the telecom giant has been expanding the network in Upper Mustang. Nar, Ghorlu, Chumrung, Bagarchhap and Nawalmmang in Upper Mustang; Gurga, Khusung and Dhorpatan in Baglung and Ghasa in Mygadi are among the major places where the state-run company has been focusing. 

“The expansion is in line with our aim to connect the remote belt of the country with the telecom network,” said Shobhan Adhikari, joint spokesperson at NT. The company is working to replace other technology like VSAT (very small aperture terminal) with radio network for reliable service. “The process is a continuation of our long-term goal to update services across the country.” Most telecom companies are reluctant to extend services to remote places situated in the high Himalayan region because the cost of establishing infrastructure is high and returns are low. 

“Being a state-run service provider, our aim is not just to earn profits but to serve the people by expanding services,” Adhikari said, adding that the company was also updating the infrastructure in the Tarai lowlands. 

Likewise, NT is on an expansion spree in major cities besides spreading out in rural areas. NT has been preparing to expand services to sub-metropolitan cities and 15 municipalities across the country. The company is at the final stage of inviting bids for the procurement of equipment including BTS towers. 

“It is among our topmost priorities. We will issue a tender notice soon to procure the equipment needed for our expansion plan,” Adhikari said. 

NT had upgraded 308 BTS towers in the Kathmandu Valley and 25 stations in Pokhara to launch 4G service in January. The revamped network allows consumers to use data at speeds of up to 32.4 Mbps, which NT aims to gradually increase to 100 Mbps. The company has sought additional 5 Mhz of bandwidth to increase speed and expand service. Currently, the Nepal Telecommu-nications Authority (NTA), the telecommunications service regulator, has authorised NT to provide 4G service with a bandwidth of 5 Mhz from the 1800 Mhz frequency band. 

NT is one of the prominent telecommunications service providers in the country with 16.29 million subscribers, the latest Management Information System data of NTA shows.