'We have initiated studies on LTE and WiMax rollouts'

By when do you think Nepalese market will be prepared for 4G, even though 3G hasn't quite taken off in Nepal?

It is unfortunate that despite a very quick and easy spectrum authorization given to major operators for deploying 3G services in the country, there hasn't been a significant uptake. Some operators have even planned a migration to LTE and have shown interest in launching WiMax services. Requests for spectrum for LTE and WiMax have been received and we have initiated studies on these fronts.

Operators like Ncell have recently launched BlackBerry services in Nepal. The BlackBerry maker, Research in Motion, has been under the scanner in various countries, including India over security concerns. As a regulator do you have similar concerns?

In Nepal also we do have security concerns about BlackBerry services. We have issued conditional no objection letter to Ncell to provide BlackBerry services in Nepal. One of the condition in that letter is to establish monitoring and interception system for BlackBerry services when deemed necessary by the Government of Nepal. It will be the responsibility of Ncell to provide such type of interception system, including the infrastructures and cost associated with it. The further discussions are on between security agencies, government, operators and the regulator.

Several foreign investors, especially Israelis, have shown interest in putting in money in the Nepalese telecom market. How favorable are the regulatory conditions for them?

There has not been a systematic review of the assessment of Telecommunications Regulatory Environment (TRE) in Nepal by any independent agency. We are very flexible and guided by the established policy documents and existing telecommunication laws in the country. A number of regulatory intervention have been made to foster and expedite the development of telecommunications sector particularly in rural areas. We have made every effort to ensure that the investment is protected and the sector grows in a sustainable manner. The telecom regulatory environment is very conducive for investment from both foreign and domestic players.

Illegal VoIP has been causing major losses to operators. Nepal Telecom alone loses about $8.38 mn a year to illegal VoIP. What are the steps as a regulator has the NTA taken to curb this?

VoIP has been completely liberalized for the operators having ILD gateway license/authorization. Currently, four out of six have such license/authorizations. However, they have not used this technology for terminating ILD calls. The termination rate for ILD calls is one of the highest compared to other countries. This is the reason that illegal termination has found a huge market. Efforts are being made to curb this menace. Obviously, operators and government are losing. We are under serious deliberations on the legal front as to how NTA can be proactive in controlling this menace.

Heena Jhingan
heenaj@cybermedia.co.in

Broadband Tech India 2010

7th International Conference, November 19, 2010, Le-Meridien, New Delhi

The event will be held at Le-Meridien, New Delhi. Broadband Tech India 2010 offers insights into the very latest technologies & applications that are driving the communication market forward. It also provides a platform for evaluating the crucial factors necessary for converging communication and for accessing new innovative services and applications for enhanced revenue generation. Through local and international case studies, the conference will explore the market potential and adoption rates for broadband connectivity and looks towards the ever-expanding issues of content in the light of the current climate and striving to achieve balance between cost reduction and revenue creation.

Open Mobile Summit

November 8-10, 2010, San Francisco Marriott Marquis, San Francisco

In San Francisco this November, 500 world-leaders across operators, handset and consumer electronics manufacturers, Internet giants, media and publishing firms, ad agencies, and application developers will meet to explore the future. The event will have heads from great and diverse industry experts-from the VP to the C-level-in the room together. The result is a high-octane discussion that provides invaluable insight into where the value is going to lie in the future converged ecosystem. Also, there is opportunity of powerful networking.

WiMax Forum Southeast Asia Regional Focus 2010

November 22-25, 2010, Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

WiMAX Forum Southeast Asia Regional Focus 2010 features an agenda packed with real-life WiMAX implementation case studies and will be held on November 22-25, 2010 at Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, under the theme of '4G WiMAX in Emerging Markets-Innovation and Evolution in Delivering Broadband to All'.