KATHMANDU: Internet Service Provider Association of Nepal (ISPAN) has hinted that it may not be able to follow Nepal Telecommunication's appeal to not cut the internet connection of users unable to pay their bills during the lockdown period.

However, ISPAN said that they will continue to provide service to senior citizens and to persons with disabilities, sans payment, for this period.

As per the letter sent by the ISPAN to NTA on April 19, the association said that it had seriously mulled over the problems that could arise out of loss of connection in these circumstances. However, since the ISPs themselves have to pay regular fees to the Indian companies for the import of the internet bandwidth, it would not be possible to provide services without receiving payments in all cases.

Moreover, the ISPs have been employing staffs 24/7 to provide uninterrupted supply of internet following the surge in usage of internet of late, putting further financial weight on ISPs, the ISPAN letter claimed.

Therefore, ISPAN has urged the consumers to pay their bills on time via online payments to secure internet connection.

Earlier on April 17,  NTA had issued a notice to all ISPs to not cut internet  connection of those unable to pay bills during the lockdown, or fine them a late fee.