Himal Dhungel

Ramechhap, March 7:

People of Ramechhap, who were yet to reap the benefits of advancement in information technology, will be getting a chance to experience it first hand within this fiscal year.

According to Bhuwan Karki, chief of Nepal Telecom Company (NTC)-Manthali, NTC is replacing the existing C-dot system of telephones by the JRSU system by mid-July in the district headquarters of Manthali. The new system will enable the launch of e-mail/internet services and also the colour-ID services. The NTC had completed preparations to distribute 512 telephone lines with JRSU system by middle of last November, but shelved the plan after lacking in electric power to begin the service. The NTC office has now informed that the new system can now be used as it has recently purchased a generator to solve the power problem.

At present, there are 150 C-dot system telephone lines in Manthali. The C-dot system was brought from India. Under this system, people have to pay just Rs 250 a month, regardless of

talk time. The system cannot however support the e-mail/internet service due to technical problems, informed Karki. Though, there will be 512 JRSU telephone lines, Internet service could be enjoyed by only owners of the current 150 lines. Karki explained that they were facing technical difficulties in distributing more lines than that already existing. With the JRSU system being operational, consumers will have to pay a minimum charge for 175 local calls and additional charges for more calls.