Kathmandu, January 14:

If your mobile phone is behaving erratically, this time don’t blame Nepal Telecom (NT) only. Prolonged power cuts have created additional hazards in the mobile networks as BTS towers, the network providers, are not getting sufficient amount of charge. Of the 350 BTS towers in Kathmandu valley, some 22 BTS towers have stopped working due to the 16-hour load-shedding each day.

NT spoksperson Surendra Thike said, “We do not have the facility of generators in the 350 BTS. There are only two options: electricity supply and fallback to battery mode in its absence, but the extended power cut schedule sometimes leaves the battery uncharged. This is resulting in communication interruption in mobile services.”

The battery can work during power cuts but long hours can decrease the charge duration.”The batteries in BTS towers needs 4-6 hours of continuous charging, depending

upon the capacity of the mobile, and if it does not get optimum charge, it generates low traffic capacity leading to network failure. It is happening unevenly right now, creating problems in networks at various places,” said Thike.

He added that as the BTS tower stops functioning, more pressure is exerted on other

BTS towers, resulting in frequent call failures. “We are trying to put generators at BTS tower, but that is quite expensive and needs good planning. We are working on the modalities of using generators and increasing the capacity of batteries,” said Thike adding it will be done soon as the load-shedding is damaging the quality of mobile networks.

NT set up 45 BTS towers in December 2008. It has around 22.5 lakh people using GSM service Post Paid and Pre Paid mobile, Sky Phones about 4 lakh, PSTN landlines 5.5 lakh and CDMA fixed lines two lakh. NT distributed 1.1 lakh mobiles in its new scheme for students.