KATHMANDU, AUG 14 -The International Telecomm-unication Union (ITU) has recommended that Nepal create a separate rule to ensure the quality of service (QoS) of mobile and fixed line services. It has also suggested imposing fines of up to Rs 3.5 million on service providers for failure to provide quality service.
The ITU has studied the Nepali market and regulatory weaknesses to prepare a draft regulation as part of its technical support to Nepal. The draft Fixed and Mobile QoS Regulations 2013 is being studied by the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to collect feedback and give it final shape.
The NTA is planning to send the draft to the Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC) to seek the Cabinet’s approval after incorporating suggestions from service providers, other stakeholders and experts. So far, the NTA has been carrying out QoS monitoring and enforcement on the basis of the QoS Parameters prepared by the authority itself in 2007.
“The ITU’s draft regulation has mainly focused on the monitoring and enforcement aspects in which we are weak,” said Ananda Raj Khanal, acting chief of the NTA. He added that the new regulation would include new parameters for QoS monitoring and standardisation and also determine the level of action to be taken against service providers.
The draft has proposed a penalty ranging from Rs 1.5 million to Rs 3.5 million against licensees failing to improve their service as per the rules in the proposed regulation.
The draft has stated that every telecom service provider shall at all times meet or exceed the minimum requirements of quality of service specified in the regulations. For example, the average call connection time should be less than 5 seconds.
The NTA shall conduct inspections, surveys and tests, or carry out surprise checks through its designated officers, or conduct performance audits for QoS of the telecom companies from time to time, the draft regulation states. The QoS regulation is aimed at promoting consumer interest and encouraging service providers to invest in their networks for the benefit of consumers.
Uday Raj Regmi, deputy director at the NTA, said that the proposed regulation would also fix the methodology for monitoring by the NTA.
According to Regmi, the regulation requires service providers to conduct inspections of their service networks and submit a report to the NTA. Each telecom company shall conduct end-to-end drive tests and surveys at intervals as required by the NTA, according to the draft regulation.
The ITU provided support to the NTA as it lagged behind in implementing strict rules to improve landline and mobile services.
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