Seminar on ICT Technologies and Broadband Applications

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Seminar on ICT Technologies and Broadband
Applications

• (August 3-5, 2005)

Bangkok, Thailand
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Broadband and ICT Application in Nepal

• -Shyam B. Basnet
• Deputy Manager (Sr. Executive Engineer)
• Telecommunications Sector Reform Project
• Ministry of Information and Communications

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NEPAL
India
China
India
India
Location 260 22' to 300 27' N Latitude 800 4'
to 880 12' E Longitude Area 147,181 Sq
Kilometer Length 885 Kms east to west
Breadth 145 to 241 Kms north to
south Population About 23.5 Millions
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Agenda

• Background and Introduction
• Telecommunications in Nepal
• ICT Broadband in Nepal
• Existing Broadband Network Technology
• Promotional Programs on ICT Applications
• Conclusion

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(No Transcript)
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Background and Introduction

• Area 147,181 Sq.k.m. ( 83 Mountains)
• Situated between India (East, West and South) and
  China (on the North)
• Population More than 25 Million
• 80 live in Rural Areas
• Capital City Greater Kathmandu (Population 2
  Million)
• Situated 1500 m.a.s.l.
• The country of The Himalayas and Gautama Buddha

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Telecommunications in Nepal

• The Telecommunications Policy (2004)
• Technology neutral open licensing regime
• Privatization and commercialization of government
  owned NTC
• legal and fiscal relieve for telecom service
  providers in the rural areas of Nepal.
• NTA the Regulator
• Established in 1998 to
• issue licenses to operate various telecoms and
  ICT based services ( so far issued 144 licenses)
• fix tariffs
• Ensure interconnection and charges
• Resolve Disputes
• Create enabling environment for free and fair
  competition between the operators
• Nepal Telecom the Incumbent Operator
• Converted to Co. Ltd. in April 2004
• More than 450,000 fixed subscribers
• More than 100,000 active mobile subscribers
• Plans to launch 1 million CDMA WLL service
• Plans to add 1 Million more GSM lines
• Other Telecom Service Providers
• UTL CDMA WLL operator a JV of Nepalese company
  and Indian Companies

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ICT Broadband Policy of Nepal

• HMG/N MOIC is responsible for Policy formulation
  and its implementation.
• Telecommunications Policy-2004 focuses on
  Infrastructure Development
• Information Technology Policy-2000 emphasizes on
  ICT industry and application part
• Both the Policies mentioned above are dedicated
  to create conducive environment for broadband
  infrastructure development and application of ICT
  
• Create enabling environment to attract foreign
  investment and involve private sector in the
  development and application of broadband
  infrastructure

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Existing Broadband Network/ Technology

• about 900 Km long East-West optical fiber Network
  based on SDH technology
• 50 cities and towns in Nepal are also connected
  via optical fibre cable with each other
• large redundancy of digital circuits
• Nepal Telecom has planned to launch ADSL service
  in main cities and towns within 2007
• Nepal Telecom also intends to introduce Wi-Fi
  data network focusing the remote and rural areas
  of Nepal
• plan to develop IP Backbone connecting Kathmandu
  valley with other major cities
• Private Cable TV operators are providing data
  services through their networks

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Promotional Programs on ICT Applications

• High Level Commission for Information Technology
  (HLCIT) for developing and promoting the use of
  ICT in every aspects of National socio-economic
  development activities.
• National Information Technology Center (NITC)
  facilitates and develops application software
  programs also creates environment for ICT
  application in the government sector.
• The IT Park will serve as a center where the
  potential hardware and software developers are
  housed in one center
• Computer Science Education has been made
  compulsory in secondary and Higher Secondary
  schools.
• Electronic and print media raising ICT
  application awareness programs among the general
  public by preparing and broadcasting appropriate
  programs and publishing articles regularly.
• ICT-Telecenters are being established as pilot
  phases in Rural Market Centers (RMC) and semi
  urban centers.
• Contents building and application software
  development in local languages/dialects are
  geared up

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Conclusion

• Broadband network development in the coming years
  will help boost ICT application in each and every
  aspects of socio-economic development activities
  in Nepal will ultimately help alleviate poverty
  of Nepalese people.

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Thank You

• Visit us at www.moic.gov.np
• Email moicppme_at_ntc.net.np
• or
• shyam.basnet_at_ntc.net.np