Internet Service Restored in Nepal After Seven-Hour Disruption

Internet services in Nepal, which encountered disruptions since 4 pm on Thursday, have been restored late last night following intervention by the international bandwidth provider to rectify the issue.

The resumption of internet services came approximately seven hours after the outage, as the international bandwidth provider stabilized the supply. Immediately after the disruption, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology instructed service providers to refrain from actions that could further disrupt connectivity, leading to the restoration of internet services.

Worldlink, a major internet service provider, revealed that the interruption occurred because Nepalese companies failed to settle fees owed to the Indian company Airtel, despite repeated requests for payment.

Nepalese companies reportedly owe Airtel an outstanding sum of three billion rupees. However, the government has been reluctant to endorse foreign currency transactions due to unresolved arrears. The government maintains its stance that it will only recommend foreign currency transactions once the outstanding arrears, totaling approximately two and a half billion rupees, are settled. Contrarily, Nepal ISPAN, an organization of internet service providers, contests the legality of the arrears, claiming they have not been paid.

The impasse between the government and private companies has disrupted the operations of major internet service providers such as Worldlink, Vianet, and Subisu, hampering their ability to fulfill payment obligations to Indian counterparts.

This issue has persisted for approximately a year, with Nepalese internet service providers unable to remit payments for international bandwidth to Indian companies like Airtel and Tata.

In response to the disruption, the Ministry of Communications issued a statement, expressing concern over interruptions in internet services due to delays in recommending foreign currency payments for bandwidth procurement. Vishal Sapkota, Assistant Spokesperson of the Ministry, highlighted that while most telecommunication service providers have complied with fee payment regulations, some internet service providers have yet to settle their dues. The Ministry reiterated its commitment to regularize foreign currency recommendations in accordance with legal provisions outlined by the Ministry of Information Technology.

The restoration of internet services brings relief to businesses, individuals, and institutions reliant on online connectivity, underscoring the significance of seamless digital communication in today’s interconnected world.