KATHMANDU, SEP 15 -The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has issued an interim directive to telecom companies and internet service providers (ISPs) not to introduce schemes based on lucky draw. It has also asked operators to stop promotional offers if there is any of such kind.
Ananda Raj Khanal, acting chief of the NTA, said that the directive would help discourage service providers from luring customers to spend more on their services, while appealing with companies to focus on quality service and tariff instead. “Our instruction will remain effective until the NTA board comes up with a new decision regarding this issue,” he added.
Currently, there is no full board at the NTA, with the case regarding Chairman Digambar Jha currently in the Supreme Court. As per Khanal, the authority will come up with clear guidelines for telecom companies and internet service providers about the limitation of schemes and procedures concerning customer offers.
A committee under Arjun Ghimire, deputy director of the NTA, has been formed to prepare the guidelines. Ghimire said that the NTA restricted lucky draw type schemes after complaints from customers. He added that earlier, the Nepal Rastra Bank and the Ministry of Home Affairs too had issued a similar type of directive to discourage promotional campaigns based on a lucky draw. The regulator’s move has come amid a time when the trend of lucky draw promotional schemes is increasing.
After the NTA’s instruction, Ncell has stopped its current schemes — Ncell Nagadma Gadgad, PRBT Win Ticket Offer and Premium League Alerts. The three schemes will be discontinued from Sunday mid-night based on the NTA’s instructions. As for the customers eligible for prize until Sunday, winners will be selected as per the existing rules of the schemes, as per Ncell.
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