Kathmandu, June 29

The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) is all set to introduce a mechanism to check the speed of internet being provided by internet service providers (ISPs) to their subscribers.

The telecommunication sector regulatory agency is introducing such a system after it received complaints from the public regarding ISPs not providing internet speed as per their agreement with ISPs.

“We have received increasing number of complaints from subscribers saying that ISPs are delivering lower speed internet than that pledged to the customers. Similarly, subscribers have also lodged complaints about ISPs charging higher fees for internet services,” said Min Prasad Aryal, spokesperson for NTA, adding that NTA will soon implement the mechanism to check internet speed and rates being charged by ISPs for internet services.

According to Aryal, ISPs found to be breaching the agreement with subscribers in terms of internet speed and rates will be warned first and action will be taken if the erring ISPs are found to be cheating its subscribers repeatedly.

Under the mechanism to check internet speed of ISPs, NTA will place a device, which has been named ‘probe device’ in the residence or office of subscribers who file complaint against ISPs. The device will automatically read the speed after being connected to the server of NTA.

“As such device is fitted in subscribers’ own areas, they would also be able to check the internet speed themselves,” said Aryal.

Though NTA already has a system in place to check the internet speed and internet rates of ISPs, it is outdated.

In the first phase, NTA plans to fit the ‘probe device’ in around a dozen places in Kathmandu Valley to check the internet speed of ISPs.

NTA has been aggressively working to improve telecom and internet service and the initiative to check the speed of internet being delivered by ISPs is a part of it, Bijaya Rai, chief of Service Delivery and Monitoring Department of NTA, said.

NTA had launched a mobile application two weeks back aimed at collecting online feedback from customers on telecommunication services being delivered by domestic telecom operators.

In a bid to regulate services being provided by domestic telecom operators following rising complaints on telecommunication services, NTA is also implementing new Quality Guidelines for telecom companies from July 16.