Surya Prakash Kandel

Narayangarh, January 11

Increase in number of Internet Service Providers (ISP) in Chitawan has resulted in the decrease of service rates by 25 to 50 per cent.

There were two ISPs — Global Net Pvt Ltd and Cyber Home of Worldlink — three months back but within last two-and-a-half month, two more ISPs — Tech Minds Communications and Nepal Telecommunication Corporation (NTC), Bharatpur Branch — are added.

Customers, who had to pay Rs 2500 for unlimited internet use per month, have to pay just Rs 1200 now, thanks to the competitive market.

Lomesh Shrestha, managing director of Global Net Pvt Ltd — ISP with VSAT technology — finds the growing competition a positive sign in the development of information technology in the country. He said that decrease in service charges has increased the customers. "The decrease in service charges is not only due to the competition but also because of the 25 per cent decrement in the charge of international satellite companies, " he added.

Aside from providing email and internet services to the customers, we have been making web pages too. "We are soon expanding our services to Dhading, Dhankuta, and Dharan," Shrestha informed.

Global Net, in association with United Nations Development Fund, has prepared the web pages for Nepalgunj and Bharatpur municipality in the e-governance programme last year.

Dipendra Bajracharya, communication executive of Global Net, said that they have currently 800 customers.

Manesh Lal Chuke, managing director of Cyber Home Pvt Ltd, however, has opposite opinion. He said that the increase in the number of ISPs in the district is not good. "Internet service is not a basic necessity. Until and unless the financial situation of the country does not improve, the competition could not bear fruits, he said adding that the number of customers has defenitely gone up by more than 200 after the decrease in service charges by 50 per cent.

Tech Minds Communications has been providing service since the past two-and-a-half month in association with Himal Technology of Kathmandu. Kamal Raj Banstola, managing director of the communication, said that the service charge in his company has gone down by 33 per cent due to the recent competition. The company currently has around 100 customers.

Banstola said, "Apart from the

VSAT technology, we have also started the internet service that does not require telephone lines. But this service is expensive."

NTC, Bharatpur branch, has also started providing internet service in the district since the past one-and-a-half month.

The charge of NTC is cheaper in comparison to all private ISPs. Shailendra Poudel, technician at the NTC, said that they have currently 50 customers. The NTC also has plans to extend the service to Pokhara and Bhairahawa.

Locals said that Chitawan, being near to the capital, is comparatively growing slowly in communication and information technology development.