Nepal adopts 5G technology more slowly than its rivals in the region.

Nepal seems to be a country that would embrace 5G wireless cellular technology early on. It now trails its regional counterparts in the adoption of high-speed wireless internet technology, nevertheless.

India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan are the six neighboring nations that have already implemented the service. The first nation in South Asia to receive 5G service was the Maldives.

South Asia's deployment of 5G technology has been spearheaded by the "Digital Nepal Framework 2019". However, a series of political maneuvers and numerous changes in the government delayed the plan's execution.

Although it removed its restriction on the well-known Chinese app TikTok, experts claim that Nepal has not demonstrated any haste in deploying 5G. Huawei, a Chinese company that assisted Nepal in launching 4G in 2017, has been contracted to oversee the network's trial.

Since there hasn't been any commercial traffic to date, the state-run telecom corporation argues that the plan to build out 5G, or high-speed wireless internet technology, may take months or perhaps years.

Service providers are particularly concerned about the youthful departure of internet-savvy Nepalis abroad.

The speed of the latest generation of wireless internet is even quicker than what most people get from their wired broadband connections at home, and it is at least ten times faster than 4G.

"We're not sure when 5G will roll out. Since we haven't completed a commercial feasibility assessment, it might take months or years before 5G is made available to the general public, according to a senior Nepal Telecom official who asked to remain anonymous.
Since implementing 5G necessitates significant funding. We also need to research the business side.

An estimated Rs50–60 billion would be spent, according to officials, to put the technology into use.

Although there are very few 5G-capable devices, the new technology is theoretically doable, according to an initial report following the limited 5G experiment. However, commercially, it would not make sense.

Bhutan and the Maldives, the two smallest countries in South Asia, have access to commercial 5G services. As per the research, 5G phones are exclusively utilized by foreign visitors in the Maldives because local vendors do not carry such gadgets. There were just three areas where the service was offered.

A major component of Bhutan's 2018 five-year plan, Digital Drukyul, is thought to be made possible by 5G. "Harness the power of ICT to transform Bhutan into a smart and inclusive society" is the stated goal of the strategy.

After receiving regulatory approval for 5G testing in November 2021, state-owned Nepal Telecom postponed the start of its trials until June 2022. Originally, the company had intended to begin in July 2021.

The goal was to launch the commercial services in August 2022.

As of right present, Nepal Telecom claims to be working on a 5G commercial viability study.

The telecom watchdog has previously declared that it is prepared to approve 5G frequencies and is awaiting word from service providers.

To participate in the auction, service providers must pay off all of their government debts, according to the regulator, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority.

A senior representative from the International Telecommunication Union's South Asia region met with representatives of the ministry of communication on Tuesday, according to a well-placed ministry source who spoke with The Post. The meeting covered a variety of topics, including the 5G network.

Numerous topics were covered. Before the technology is made available for public use, the ITU official recommended examining the prices of priority areas for introducing fast technology and business from both public and commercial use,” the source continued.

The private telecom service provider Ncell stated that it is “ready for 5G adoption,” however it may take some time as the network and equipment need to be prepared appropriately. The state-owned telecom utility has been delaying the rollout of 5G.

Despite Ncell's request, the government has not permitted the company to test 5G.

Ncell has launched Sadhain On data bundles in an effort to get its consumers ready for 5G.

According to Ncell, "there are currently device constraints and few use cases, but once allowed, the company will introduce the suitable and appropriate service for its users."

Insiders in the telecom industry claim that not all of 4G's nationwide rollout has been fully utilized. It will therefore take some time for 5G technology to become widely used.

As per the findings of the November 2023 Opensignal report "Mobile network experience varies significantly across South Asia," authored by Hardik Khatri, users in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal spend a range of 12.4 percent to 14.8 percent of their time connected to 3G networks, while Sri Lankan users spend only 5.8 percent of their time on these networks. In India, users only use 3G for 0.8 percent of the time.

Less than 9% of users in Nepal just utilize their mobile data.

According to the analysis, an excessive dependence on outdated technologies like 2G or 3G, which have less capabilities than 4G and 5G, is likely to lead to a worse user experience overall.

The survey stated that although Nepal has hilly terrain and infrastructural difficulties, the country spends 52.9 percent of its time on wireless frequency (Wi-Fi), which is significantly more than other South Asian nations.

In the next ten years, the information technology sector is expected to export goods and services valued at Rs3 trillion, according to the budget for the current fiscal year. In the field, this might result in the creation of 500,000 direct and one million indirect jobs.

The government has declared through the budget that artificial intelligence will be developed, promoted, and controlled in accordance with Nepal's development as a hub for information technology.