KATHMANDU: Nepal Telecom (NT) — after a regular complaints on extra charges taken by retailers — has warned wholesalers and retailers not to charge extra while selling Rs 100 and Rs 200 worth new simcards for pre-paid customers.

The telecom company for its prepaid subscribers has recently introduced new recharge cards so that the subscribers need not have to pay extra charges while buying a recharge card.

However many customers are still being cheated by retailers, who charge them extra charge of Rs 5 for every Rs 100 and Rs 200 recharge cards.

According to Surendra Prasad Thike, spokesperson at the NT, the new recharge card that is available in dark and light green colour are available at a face value of Rs 100 and Rs 200 that has no additional charge.

As the NT users are being cheated with additional charges in the market by retailers, NT is moving on with a formation of a committee that will investigate the market and take necessary actions against such cheats. “We have already informed the wholesalers to inform the retailers to avoid taking extra charges or else NT will be forced to take necessary action,” he said.

According to him, the wholesalers are given 3.25 per cent commission

in each Rs 100 simcard

and 6.50 per cent commission in Rs 200 simcard, “therefore if extra charge is being taken, we will be compelled to scrap contract between NT and wholesalers.”

There are 180 registered wholesalers in the market. As per the new recharge card, in the new recharge cards a talk time worth two per cent of the face value will be deducted as commission for the sellers therefore there is no need for the NT prepaid users to pay any additional charge for the new recharge except in the old simcards that have additional charge of Rs 2 and Rs 4, respectively.

Thike has also insisted its users to inform the NT office in case any retailer charges additional charge on the new recharge card and more than Rs 2 or Rs 4 in the old recharge cards worth Rs 100 and Rs 200 respectively.

According to him, with a support from customers, the telecom can take action to the wholesalers as well.