Fixed-line phone growth slows

Dec-26th-2011
KATHMANDU: The fixed-line telephone popularly known as ‘land-line’ telephone is loosing its ground despite steady growth of telecom sector in the country. Telephone services– mobile, CDMA and land-line– had reached to 53.50 per cent of 26.62 million population.

The increment rate of fixed-line is around one to two thousands every month, according to Management Information System (MIS) report released by Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA).

The number of fixed-line consumers has reached to 843,847 until mid-October, according to the regulator. The number of consumers was 842,352 a month ago.

However, telecom service providers have succeeded to expand consumer base by nearly 500,000 during the same period of time. The consumer base of mobile service was 12,153,234 until mid-September but it reached to 12,615,533 in the mid of October, the regulator’s report revealed.

Currently, five telecom companies out of six are providing fixed line telephone service to the consumers. Nepal Telecom, UTL, Smart, STM and Nepal Satellite are providing the service of fixed-line, according to the authority.

Nepal Telecom has the largest number of consumers, the report informed. Nepal Telecom’s fixed-line consumers have reached to 764,694 until mid-October. Similarly, UTL has 70,957, STM has 5,108, Nepal Satellite has 2,490 and Smart has 598 consumers, the authority said.

Consumer attraction have been shifting towards mobile technology since mobile is portable and easy for use, NTA official said, adding that the consumers of fixed-line are mostly government offices and other organisations.

The total consumers of voice telephony has reached to 14,248, 818 until mid-October making overall telephony rate of 53.50.