KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 15
The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), in a bid to control illegal import of mobile phones into the country, has launched the Mobile Device Management System (MDMS) from today.
Issuing a notice today, NTA said that the system has been implemented to discourage illegal import, sale, distribution and use of mobile sets, while enabling the authority to track and block stolen and lost mobile sets to prevent such handsets from operating within Nepal.
Following the implementation of the MDMS, NTA has requested mobile subscribers to ensure that their cellphones are registered in the MDMS by visiting its website mdms.nta.gov.np.
NTA has stated that all the mobile sets, including those brought individually from abroad until September 15, have been automatically registered in the MDMS.
Likewise, NTA informed that mobile traders must take the approval of the authority and sell only mobiles that are registered in the MDMS.
Meanwhile, mobile traders welcomed the NTA's move, saying that it will completely eradicate the illegal import of cellphones in Nepal and increase the government's revenue collection.
"After the government changed the tax structure four years ago, grey market of mobile phones had gone up exponentially. As a result, the government had been losing around seven billion rupees in revenue every year," said Deepak Malhotra, president of Mobile Phone Importers Association.
"With implementation of MDMS, the illegal import of mobile sets will be completely eradicated."
A version of this article appears in the print on September 16, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
