Along with the launch of 4G (fourth-generation) service in the country, domestic telecommunication companies have recorded a significant surge in data consumption rate.
Basically, the data consumption rate of two domestic telecom giants — Ncell and Nepal Telecom (NT) — has increased following the launch of 4G service in Nepal.
While NT had introduced the 4G service first in Nepal from January 1, private telecom company Ncell had launched the service for its subscribers on June 1.
Following the launch of 4G, Ncell saw an improved quarterly performance as the company witnessed data revenue growth by 16.9 per cent in the second quarter (April to June), as per the Malaysian company Axiata — which owns majority share in Ncell.
Meanwhile, Axiata in its financial statement has said that Ncell’s data consumption in the second quarter has increased by over 150 per cent to 6.8 million GB compared to data consumption rate of the corresponding period of the previous year. The data consumption of Ncell in the second quarter last year was recorded at 2.7 million GB.
Ncell has been able to book profit of Rs 14.47 billion in the second quarter this year with the support of increased data consumption. Ncell’s income from data accounts for 18 per cent of the company’s total revenue, as per Axiata.
Similarly, the government telecom company NT also witnessing brisk consumption of data after it launched the 4G service for its pre-paid and post-paid SIM users.
Prativa Baidhya, spokesperson for NT, informed that NT witnessed 40 per cent growth in data consumption compared to normal times after the launch of 4G service. “NT’s data consumption rate is increasing. As NT has been focusing more on data this year, the consumption rate is expected to increase further in the days to come,” she said.
Officials of Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) — the telecom sector regulator of Nepal — have said that the data consumption rate among telecom companies will surge further once telecom companies expand the 4G service nationwide.
Currently, Ncell is providing 4G service in 19 cities across the country, including the Kathmandu Valley. Meanwhile, NT’s 4G service is available only in Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara.
Smart Telecom, which is the third telecom company to have received the 4G licence from the government, however has not yet launched the service.
Source: https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/4g-drives-telcos-data-consumption-rate/