Mobile Links
ONE of the sectors of national life that has seen a lot of
progress over the past decades is undoubtedly telecommunications. Telephone lines in
particular have grown phenomenally over the past years, necessitating addition of digits.
Since the past month, we have seven digit numbers, reflecting the growth in both demand
and supply with the latter being strengthened with different telecommunications projects
in the Valley and elsewhere. For the past couple of years more and more Nepalese have been
enjoying the convenience of cellular phones. It is a common sight these days to see many
young and old professionals, businessmen and officials sporting a mobile phone. The
often-intrusive rings of a mobile during a gathering like seminar and conference has also
become familiar. Particularly in the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley and also in
the cities of Pokhara, Biratnagar and Birgunj, many professionals consider it de rigueur
to have a mobile. While some may go for it more for prestige value than the actual
necessity, cell phones are fast becoming a necessity to those whose job carries with it a
good deal of communication tasks.
The mobiles however are still the preserve of people who can
afford it, not necessarily of those who need it most. Many people who one could easily
imagine as ones needing cell phones because of the nature of the job cannot subscribe to
the service because of the high cost involved. And there were those in cities other than
the six cities, who would be able to bear the cost of a mobile service, but could not
because the service had not come to those cities. Therefore, it must be good news to many
cell phone aspirants to hear from Minister for Information and Communications and General
Administration Ramesh Nath Pandey that the government was doing the necessary homework to
bring cell phone services within the reach of the lower and middle class customers. In
fact, the mobile services, according to the minister, will reach the far western towns of
Dhangadhi and Mahendranagar by next month. With all the expansion so far, the total mobile
phone capacity has reached 110,000. Welcome also is the news that the government was
thinking of reviewing the mobile phone tariffs. The government should as far as possible
revise down the existing tariffs of mobile phones, for there are many who are awaiting the
time when subscribing to a cell phone does not eat too much into their wallet. At the same
time, mobile links should continue to be expanded.
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