Nepal government rejects foreign exchange recommendation for internet | CA Nirajan Keshri posted on the topic | LinkedIn (2024)

Broadband internet services have been disrupted in many parts of Nepal as Indian vendors, who are the primary source of bandwidth for most Nepali private operators, have stopped providing services due to payment defaults. Private internet service providers in Nepal have issued notices indicating service disruptions or slow connections. While the state-run Nepal Telecom continues to provide internet services, two private mobile services are also affected, experiencing decreased internet speeds. This disruption stems from the inability of private ISPs in Nepal to pay Indian vendors, as the government has not provided them with foreign currency from banks to make payments. The government's refusal to provide foreign exchange is contingent upon private companies clearing taxes on certain services they provide, which the companies argue they are exempt from. Wlink Communications, the largest ISP in Nepal, attributes the disruption to the government's failure to facilitate foreign exchange transactions, leading to nonpayment to upstream providers. #Nepal #InternetDisruption #BroadbandServices #PaymentDefaults #IndianVendors #TechnologyNews #InternetProviders #PaymentIssues #NepalTelecom #WlinkCommunications #GovernmentPolicies #ForeignExchange #ISP #BusinessNews #AssociatedPress

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#VantageOnFirstpost Nepal Faces Internet Outages Over Payment Dispute with Indian Firms | Vantage with Palki SharmaNepal has been facing widespread internet outages due to payments owed to Indian companies, affecting millions of people. Broadband providers owe more than 20 million dollars to vendors in India but they have not been able to transfer the money. Nepal's government has refused to give the necessary approval to transfer the funds out of the country, saying that the internet providers must first pay outstanding taxes - a dispute that dates back years. Countering this claim, private internet providers say that the legal framework governing their businesses exempts them from those taxes. As per a report released by the Nepal Telecommunication Authority last year, Nepal has over 10 million subscribers to private internet companies.---Nepal | Internet | Outage | Nepal Telecommunication Authority | India | Firstpost | World News | News Live | Vantage | Palki Sharma | News#nepal #internet #telecom #firstpost #vantageonfirstpost #palkisharma #worldnews

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👉 Many parts of Nepal faced internet disruptions on Thursday.👉 The Cause: Indian vendors cut off broadband services due to non-payment by Nepali internet providers (ISPs).👉The Reason for Non-Payment: Nepal ISPs claim they haven't been able to get foreign currency from Nepal banks to pay Indian vendors.👉The Dispute: Nepal government is withholding foreign currency until ISPs pay taxes on specific services. ISPs argue they are exempt from these taxes.Additional details:👉 Mobile internet services were still functional but with slower speeds.👉 Wlink, Nepal's largest ISP, blamed the government for the disruption.👉 No official comment from the Nepali government yet.

Broadband internet services are disrupted in most parts of NepalKATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Broadband internet was disrupted in many parts of Nepal ...Read More - https://lnkd.in/dQ6A_mQa

Namibia, Botswana Plan Harmonisation Roaming ChargesStaff writerThe Information, Communications and Technology Ministers of Namibia and Botswana have agreed to work on a framework to reduce roaming charges between the two countries.ICT Minister Dr. Peya Mushelenga and his delegation arrived in Windhoek on Thursday after a working visit to neighbouring Botswana.Mushelenga and his neighboring counterpart, Thulagano Segokgo, held extensive discussions agreed that the two regulators, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) and the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority - BOCRA , in consultation with mobile network operators, should agree on a collaborative framework to reduce roaming charges between Namibia and Botswana.In addition, they agreed that a standardised percentage charge on the handling of roaming costs be investigated between the two countries. The two Ministers reiterated their commitment to implement the SADC Ministers decision by March 2024.Namibia and Botswana are interested in broadening their relations to include the sphere of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT).Speaking on Wednesday to reporters, Minister Segokgo there is the need to address high roaming charges for accessing cellular network services when visiting either of the two countries.He said it was important for roaming charges to be harmonised as it was of interest to the citizens of the two nations.He said currently, Botswana was accessing the West Africa fibre network cable system through Namibia. "Harmonising roaming charges is an initiative that has already been tabled by the regional organ SADC, as such, the two nations will take the lead that other regional member states must embrace, he said.His counterpart, Dr. Mushelenga concurred with Minister Segokgo on the issue of harmonising roaming tariffs.He said while the two nations collaborated on a number of areas for the benefit of their people, the ICT sector was not adequately covered hence the need to share notes.He said his ministry was on the process of tabling two bills in the near future relating to Data Protection and Cyber Security.Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/dCvyctnj

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Empowering #Bangladesh's digital evolution, the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) introduces the 'National Broadband Policy 2023,' aiming for universal access to high-capacity broadband networks, services, and technology platforms. This policy will propel Bangladesh toward a #tech-forward economy. 🌐 📶 #DigitalInfrastructure #DigitalTransformation

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The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) has called for a reduction in taxes on telecom customers to enhance the affordability of digital services. With Pakistan being one of the highest-taxed telecom markets globally, where telecom users face an overall tax burden of 34.5 percent, including 15 percent WHT and 19.5 percent GST, GSMA’s proposal aims to address the impact of high taxes on the mobile industry.The mobile industry in Pakistan plays a crucial role in driving digital transformation and achieving the Digital Pakistan Vision. However, the current tax contribution from the mobile sector in Pakistan exceeds that of similar markets in the region, severely limiting the industry’s capacity to invest in network infrastructure, hindering the realization of the Digital Pakistan Vision. #news #pakistan #taxes #telecom #customers

Internet service providers (ISPs) have been instructed not to charge more than the prescribed internet fees set by the Nepal Telecommunications Authority. This comes after some service providers increased their fees on their own. Some ISPs increased fees stating they were given the green light by the authority. However, the authority has said it has made no decision allowing ISPs to increase internet fees. According to the Telecommunications Act, ISPs can only increase the tariff after the approval notice is published by the authority. https://lnkd.in/dide6WZM #telecommunications

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The suspension of mobile broadband services has had a devastating effect on the economy, resulting in substantial losses for telecom operators, the government, and the people of Pakistan. According to media reports, the telecom operators have incurred an estimated revenue loss of Rs. 820 million, while the government has lost around Rs. 28 million in tax revenue.#Telecommunication #Pakistan #RevenueLoss #TashheerDigital #MobileInternet #Suspension #TelecomOperators

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