KATHMANDU: Tired of toting cash and waiting in long queues to pay your phone bill? Here’s cheer for Nepal Telecom (NT) landline users: no need for queues or worry about late fines.

Government telecom service provider NT is developing a Mobile Wallet System. To reduce the paper cash transaction system, grant financial security and to create proper time management, NT will provide electronic bill payment system. It recently launched PSTN bill payment system through various banks.

“Along with postpaid bill paying system through banks, we have started the PSTN bill payment system through banks,” said Lochan Amatya, Director at Information Technology Directorate. According to Amatya, currently the

postpaid mobile and PSTN bill payment is being done

through some banks here as NT is on its testing period. And as soon as NT is prepared to launch the system, it will make contracts with major number of branch present.

The bill payment system is currently available at Laxmi Bank, Machhapuchre Bank, and Bank of Kathmandu while NT is trying to develop contact with Nepal Investment Bank, Nabil and Bank of Asia. The system at the moment is available in Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Banepa, Biratnagar, Dharan, Bhairawa, Butwal, Hetauda, Tadi and Bharatpur. “ We are planning to replace the traditional bill payment system at Birgunj with the electronic payment system through banks,” said Amatya.

“We are trying to bring new changes and awareness through IT field and with its success we can introduce Mobile Wallet System here in Nepal, which will definitely reduce the problem of carrying huge cash and proper money management,” Amatya said.

NT till date has a total of 22 per cent of postpaid mobile revenue collection through banks. Its recently launched PSTN bill payment system has made a banking collection of Rs 10 lakh and it is increasing. NT has a target of more than 50 per cent of its collection through online services.

“ Through this system NT also will benefit as it can utilize its resources in

the development of its services,” said Amatya.

NT has 5.16 lakh PSTN users while the total number of GSM postpaid mobile users is around one lakh and the number of prepaid mobile users is 25 lakhs.

In the new system, customers can pay their postpaid mobile and PSTN bills via

any bank or its branch offices providing the service

of bill payment through personal account, cash or internet. Customers holding

personal accounts in the bank can make payment through their accounts. Those not having accounts can make direct cash payments.