4G internet use in Nepal continues to grow steadily, with an average of 122,186 new users added each month, according to Nepal Telecommunications Authority data.

Total broadband subscriptions in Nepal have reached 30.82 million, with about 86.24 percent using 4G. Including 3G users, mobile broadband penetration now stands at 93.84 percent of the population.

In mid-March 2025, the country had 25.11 million 4G users. By mid-March 2026, that number had risen to 26.58 million, an increase of roughly 1.46 million in a year.

Fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) remains the second-largest internet medium, but its share is still limited at 11.12 percent. As of mid-March 2026, fibre subscribers stood at 3.42 million.

Over the past year, fibre connections grew by 376,809. Private internet service providers drove most of the expansion, adding 349,386 users to reach 3.07 million subscribers. State-owned Nepal Telecom reported 350,013 fibre users, with an annual increase of 27,423.

At the same time, 3G usage is declining. Both Nepal Telecom and Ncell have announced plans to phase it out. As of mid-March, 3G users stood at 786,292, or 2.55 percent of total broadband subscriptions.

Wireless fixed internet remains marginal at 32,528 users, just 0.11 percent. Copper-based ADSL services are close to disappearing, with only 297 users left nationwide.

Despite the expansion of 4G, service quality remains uneven. Complaints about slow speeds and unreliable connections are common, especially outside major urban centres.

In Solukhumbu’s Solududhkunda Municipality–9, resident Nisan Tamang said he is forced to use two SIM cards due to inconsistent coverage. “Ncell network does not work in my village, so I rely on Nepal Telecom,” he said. “Because coverage changes from place to place, I keep both.”

Such patterns help explain why mobile subscriptions exceed Nepal’s population. The 2021 census puts the population at 29.16 million, while mobile SIM subscriptions have crossed 30.9 million, pushing penetration to 103.19 percent.

Experts attribute this gap mainly to people using multiple SIM cards to manage patchy network coverage across the country.

By market share, Nepal Telecom leads with 53.33 percent, followed by Ncell at 46.66 percent. In mobile internet, Nepal Telecom holds 55.66 percent, while Ncell accounts for 44.34 percent.

While India and China have already rolled out 5G nationwide and several other countries are pushing ahead with commercial services, Nepal’s rollout remains stalled. The government allowed Nepal Telecom to run trials four years ago, but the company has still not made its findings public.

The new government has shifted focus towards strengthening 4G rather than pushing ahead with 5G. A 10-point reform plan from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology proposes allocating additional spectrum within 30 days to improve service quality.

However, the regulator has not held a new frequency auction in six years, fuelling doubts over whether planned improvements will actually be implemented.

Despite wider 4G coverage, users continue to complain about inconsistent speeds and unreliable service. With 3G fading out and 5G still stuck in limbo, Nepal’s digital future increasingly depends on whether authorities and operators can prioritise quality over expansion.

Without tangible progress, concerns remain that the country could fall further behind in telecommunications development.