A recent Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) report has shown higher mobile data users than WiFi here in Nepal. This is based on the Management Information System (MIS) report of NTA for the month of Kartik 2077.
The MIS of last Kartik highlighted that there are currently 23,921,180 broadband internet users. Among the internet users 17,575,419 surf the web using mobile data. Fixed broadband users in Nepal are around 63,45,761.
The table illustrates internet distribution in Nepal among different technologies.
| Mobile Data | Wired Internet | Fixed Broadband | Wireless Internet |
| 1,75,75,419 | 6,11,999 | 63,45,761 | 26,662 |
Likewise, wired broadband has 6,11,999 users while 26,662 subscribe to wireless protocols. As of now, mobile data users are ranked at the top with 76%, fixed wire 26%, and fixed wireless at just 1%.
NTA’s spokesperson Min Prasad Aryal believed the high user number of mobile data is due to mobility and convenience. Smartphone users have grown increasingly in Nepal. Source. Due to portability, mobile data is an easy choice for smartphone users. The users can simply buy a sim and in a few clicks, the internet is on.
It is not easy to develop infrastructures for fiber net. Thus, internet users are mostly relying on mobile data. Smartphones give users portability and practicality which fiber or wireless system can’t afford instantly.
Furthermore, Aryal pointed out that due to network expansion limitations, Fiber net has not been used widely all over the country. To use a fiber net, you need to reside at specific fixed locations (Home or office) while smartphone users can use the internet on-the-go. The advantages of mobile data easily trump over fiber net when it comes to feasibility at the users’ end. Find Wifi Vs Mobile data for internet connectivity.
Internet usage from the cellular network doesn’t have a long history in Nepal. However, it has quickly steadily improved in the country. So far there are three companies providing mobile communication services namely Nepal Telecom, Ncell, and Smart telecom. Chaudhary Group is also ambitious about launching its own version of Jio services in Nepal, with the brand name CG Telecom. But its availability in the future is unsure.
Among the existing three, Nepal Telecom enjoys the most subscribers that are 1,06,19,143 at present. Privately owned Ncell has 67,56,515 users while Smart Cell has drawn only 1,99,761 users so far. Ncell and Smart Cells are just Mobile operators whereas Nepal Telecom provides various services such as FTTH, ADSL, WiMAX, etc.
As it seems, Nepali internet community is not only expanding technology it is also contributing to a healthy competition. As smartphone users are increasing daily, so the demands for the internet and the communications companies and ISP are doing their best to afford the service at reasonable prices and raise their customers base.
Internet penetration has reached 80% across the country. At present, Nepal Telecom has been providing copper-based ADSL internet service in rural areas whereas Fiber-based FTTH is the running service in urban areas.
While the telecommunication services display wide use of broadband connections, in terms of bandwidth consumption, Wi-Fi stays well ahead. Heavy internet users usually surf from urban areas. Audio/Video streaming, downloading, and online gaming over Wi-Fi (home broadband) consume far more bandwidth in Nepal than that of cellular networks.
Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) released the above statistics based on the distribution of wireless, cable, fiber, and 3G and 4G internet services.
Source: https://www.nepalitelecom.com/2021/01/mobile-data-users-in-nepal-higher-than-wi-fi-nta-report.html