Controversial Telecom Bill Aims to Benefit Private TELCOs
Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) has recently approved a draft of the Telecommunication Bill, and sent to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology for further review. The major provisions include the rules on license renewal and license fees.
Section 35 of the draft bill closely mirrors the existing telecom bill’s Section 33, which stipulates that asset such as land, buildings, equipment, and structures related to telecommunications services, developed with over fifty percent foreign investment, will become government-owned after the license period expires. However, the proposed bill introduces a significant shift through Section 33(2), allowing for the renewal of licenses while maintaining a majority of foreign investment. It suggests that after the initial 25-year license period, a service provider can continue operations with 49 percent ownership by Nepali citizens or organizations. If the bill is approved in its current form, it would enable Ncell, a private sector telecom company in Nepal with 80 percent foreign ownership, to extend its operating license while preserving its majority ownership structure.
Furthermore, the draft bill proposes substantial reductions in license fees and renewal fees for mobile service providers. It proposed to reduce the license fee for basic telecommunication service from NPR 357.5 million to just NPR 10 million. Renewal fees would also be adjusted to NPR 10 million annually from the license issue date or eight percent of total income for the first five years. This is a significant departure from the existing provision, which demands renewal fees of NPR 20.13 billion (initially for ten years, then every five years). In addition, the bill stipulates that after five years to ten years of obtaining the license, an annual fee of NPR 250 million or eight percent of total income will be required. Beyond ten years, the bill calls for an annual fee of NPR 2 billion or eight percent of total income.
While these proposed changes may alleviate some of the financial burdens associated with license renewal for mobile service providers, they could result in substantial revenue loss for the state.
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CIAA Initiates Inquiry in Controversial TERAMOCS Project
In the midst of the TERAMOCS scandal, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has begun the process of collecting statements from approximately two dozen employees and officials associated with The Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA). This move by the CIAA is part of its ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities concerning the TERAMOCS project’s design, cost estimates, and implementation procedures.
The CIAA has raised several pertinent questions surrounding the TERAMOCS project, including inquiries into its necessity, the project’s financial aspects, the procurement process employed, and the evaluation of applications received during the tendering process. The inquiry aims to shed light on potential discrepancies and improprieties within the project, prompting the gathering of statements from NTA personnel to ascertain the truth behind these allegations.
X Plans to Introduce Paid Subscriptions to Combat Bot Activity
Elon Musk has announced his intention to transform X, previously known as Twitter, into a paid platform to all users. This revelation came during a live conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where Musk unveiled his proposal to introduce modest monthly subscription fees.
Although the exact pricing details and the range of features included in the lowest subscription tier were not disclosed by Musk, he emphasized the pressing need to counteract bot activity on the platform. X currently boasts a staggering 550 million monthly users who collectively generate between 100 million to 200 million posts daily. However, the ratio of bot-generated content to authentic user-generated content remains uncertain.
Server Hiccup at TIA Immigration Department
Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA)’s Immigration Department recently encountered a server issue that caused inconvenience to passengers in Tuesday (19 September). The department reported that the server problem disrupted passenger check-in processes for approximately two hours during the morning. Fortunately, there have been no flight disruptions as a result of this technical glitch, as confirmed by the department.
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DRN Joined the Discussion on Addressing Systems in Nepal
On September 19th, Digital Rights Nepal (DRN) took part in a discussion hosted by The Asia Foundation as part of the Data for Development (D4D) project. The event, titled “Addressing System in Nepal: Standardizing Methods, Bridging Gaps & Exploring Opportunities,” aimed to illuminate key aspects of digital addressing systems in Nepal, especially for a digital economy.
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DRN Facilitated discussion on Access to Digital Information
On September 16 September, Adv. Santosh Sidgel, Executive Director of Digital Rights Nepal, facilitated a training session on digital information in relation to the Right to Information for master trainers of ‘Law Janau: A Civic Engagement Project’. Under this initiative, supported by the United States Youth Council, Law Janau volunteers plan to provide training on right to information to 300 youths in Surkhet. |
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Opportunities !!!
APNIC academy Opens Registration for Open Labs and Open Tutorials
Join APNIC Academy for upcoming open labs and open tutorials in October 2023. These concise sessions offer hands-on training in Internet technologies and techniques, blending theory with practical lab exercises. Register now!
To register: APNIC Academy / Events
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Publications!!!
Generating Change: A global survey of what news organizations are doing with AI
A global report from the JournalismAI initiative at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has found that 73% of surveyed news organizations believe that generative AI (genAI) like ChatGPT and Google Bard offers new opportunities for journalism. This report, titled “Generating Change,” gathered insights from over 100 news organizations in 46 countries between April and July 2023.
For more: NEW | JournalismAI’s Generating Change Report 2023 — JournalismAI
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Digital Rights Weekly is a week-based update on Digital Rights and ICT issues, that happened throughout the week, compiled and analyzed from the digital rights perspective by Digital Rights Nepal (DRN). DRN is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to the protection and promotion of digital rights, including the right to online freedom of expression and association, online privacy, access to information, and related issues such as internet governance, cyber laws/policies, and cyber securities in Nepal.
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