NT cuts data tariff in market share battle

Kathmandu, May 12 –  Nepal Telecom (NT) is slashing its data tariff on the occasion of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day that falls on May 17. The new rates will come into effect from Friday.

Issuing a press statement on Sunday, the state-owned operator said it is reducing tariff for its data services with the objective of providing people access to data at cheaper rates.

NT has reduced the rate of unlimited dial-up Internet package to Rs 200 per month from Rs 500 per month. Similarly, nightsurfing dial-up package will now be available at Rs 100 per month down from Rs 250 per month. Likewise, the operator has reduced its Integrated Service digital Network (ISDN) unlimited dial-up package of 64 kbps to Rs 200 per month from Rs 1,500 per month. Similarly, ISDN dial-up package of 128 kbps speed, which costs Rs 3,000 per month, will cost only Rs 400 per month effective from Friday.

Similarly, NT will provide 40 percent data volume as bonus for those subscribing volume based package of ADSL and WiMAX for at least 3 months. Similarly, users subscribing unlimited WiMAX package will get 30 percent discount for three months. Unlimited WiMAX of 256 kbps costs Rs 1,500 per month, while the 2 mbps package is available at Rs 9,300 per month. The 2mpbs package, however, is available only for educational institutions, hospitals, government and semi-government agencies, financial institutions and diplomatic missions.

NT has also lowered the monthly rates of Lease Internet Connectivity provided through optical fiber and copper wire. The price for 256 kbps package has been lowered to Rs 2,500 from Rs 5,000, while the 512 kbps package, which used to cost Rs 8,000, will now be available at Rs 5,000. Similarly, 1-4 mpbs package will now cost Rs 8,000 per mbps, 5 mbps-10 mbps will be available at Rs 7,500 per mbps; and 11-100 mpbs will cost Rs 7,000 per mbps, down from Rs 12,000 mpbs. Similarly, Internet package above 100 mpbs will cost Rs 6,000 per mbps, down from Rs 12,000 per mbps.

On EVDO/PDSN service, NT has brought down tariff to 50 paisa per MB from 10 paisa per 100 KB. NT is planning to provide data on 3G and GPRS at the same rate in the near future. NT is also preparing to announce new volume based package for 3G and EVDO users.

NT has fixed the price for 25 MB data for a day at Rs 11, 300 MB data for 15 days at Rs 130, 500 MB data for 1 month at Rs 200, 2 GB, 5GB and 10 GB for a month at Rs 760, Rs 1,700 and Rs 2,400, respectively.

Aarthiknews/Republica