Kathmandu, September 17 :

Mero Mobile, Nepal’s first and the only private cellular mobile phone brand, has completed its first year of operation today.

Recalling the beginning of its operation one year ago, Damir Karassayev, director of Spice Nepal Pvt Ltd (SNPL), the provider of the Mero Mobile services said, “We had started with just a few antennas and a small bunch of subscribers in Kathmandu, today we have over 200,000 subscribers and has a coverage in all major cities.”

He further stated that innovation, quality and value in services are the backbone to the success of Mero Mobile. To mark the first anniversary, Mero Mobile today announced the launch of its new services - MMS and Personalised Ring Back Tones for the first time in Nepal.

Apart from Kathmandu valley, Mero Mobile has a wide range of coverage in Pokhara, Hetauda, Bharatpur, Narayanghat, Bardaghat, Butwal, Bhairahawa, Birgunj, Simara and Biratnagar. It plans to expand its services in all the territories including rural parts in between Butwal to Kakarvitta within a year.

Despite ‘step-motherly’ treatment, Mero Mobile has been able to meet 60 per cent of its target in the first year of operation, said Dr Upendra Mahato, president of Non-Resident Nep-ali Association (NRNA), who is also one of the major shareholders in SNPL.

He also said that Mero Mobile’s tariff is a bit higher because of inter connection charge being levied by Nepal Telecom.

“The investment climate has not improved even after the restoration of democracy and economic developme-nt has yet to be a top priority,” he said, adding that there needs to be a massive change in attitude of the government in order to attract more foreign investment in the sectors like road, power and communication.