KATHMANDU, JANUARY 21

Along with the increase in smartphone users in the country, the number of 4G users is also going up. However, the telecommunication companies offering fourth generation of broadband cellular network technology have largely failed to meet subscribers’ expectations.

Ncell, a private telecommunication company, boasts of the highest number of 4G subscribers in the country. According to Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), a total of 6.3 million users are using 4G network, of whom four million are Ncell subscribers.

However, the social media page of Ncell is full of consumers’ complaints about its 4G service.

Excessive balance cut off, slow mobile data service, ineffective data packages, low network services are some of the common complaints seen on Ncell’s Facebook page.

Just today, a Facebook user with username Sunil wrote: “There is a problem on your internet service. I have subscribed one week internet package and it just has been 3, 4 days your internet has become slow. I can’t use internet properly even after wasting my money on your package.”

Similarly, on Wednesday, Nitesh Pandey wrote, “For last one year I didn’t use my Ncell number and now someone else is using it. I have registered the same number on security service of my social networking sites, Facebook, Instagram and Gamial. Low security.”

Akash Kumar Sah’s post reads, “Ncell never gives response to customer’s problem.

We have very poor network in our village area. We tried to complain regarding their network problem but they left it unheard. Most of the users in my village are switching to NT.”

Such complaints regarding, slow internet, poor network and others, however, is not limited to Ncell. Even the state-owned Nepal Telecom has been at the receiving end of customers’ wrath over slow 4G connection.

According to NTA, the telecommunication sector regulator, it has received around 140 direct complaints related to poor service of telecommunication companies just in the last five months. “Most of the grievances were related to weak internet connection,” said Min Prasad Aryal, NTA spokesperson.

According to him, mobile users seemed largely unsatisfied with the data network.

“Sometimes, geography also affects the internet connection in rural areas of a country like Nepal,” he said, “However, we try to address consumers’ problems as much as we can.”