Nepalese ISPs Raise Prices on Low-Speed Internet Plans, Ending Price War
Key Takeaways
- ISPs in Nepal are ending a price war by raising prices or withdrawing low-cost internet plans
- Wi-Fi Nepal has nearly doubled its prices, while DishHome has increased rates across all plans
- The Nepal Telecommunications Authority has asked ISPs to obtain approval before changing tariffs
The intense price competition among Nepal’s internet service providers appears to be cooling off. The battle began in 2021 when CG Net introduced a residential 120Mbps plan for just NPR 999 per month, prompting rivals such as Worldlink and Vianet to respond with upgraded offers. While high-speed plans became common, many users found them unnecessary, creating demand for more affordable, lower-speed options.
CG Net tried to fill this gap with a 50Mbps plan priced at NPR 649 monthly, but Wi-Fi Nepal soon entered the market with an even more aggressive 30Mbps package at NPR 333 per month. However, recent reports suggest that ISPs are now moving away from such budget plans to avoid internal competition. Wi-Fi Nepal has increased its prices by roughly 100 percent, CG Net has discontinued its 50Mbps offer, and Vianet has removed its low-cost Purple and Mini Packs from its official website. Most recently, DishHome also raised the rates of all its internet plans.
A detailed comparison shows the impact: Wi-Fi Nepal’s 50Mbps plan, previously NPR 400 for one month, now costs NPR 850. Similarly, DishHome’s 75Mbps plan has jumped from NPR 595 to NPR 945 per month. The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has issued a notice asking ISPs to refrain from increasing prices without regulatory approval, clarifying that no directive supports the rumored agreement among providers to end the price war. The authority emphasized that any tariff changes must follow Section 42 of the Telecommunications Act of 2053 and receive prior permission. Notably, many of the low-cost plans introduced during the height of the price war were never officially approved by the NTA.
The shift marks a notable change in Nepal’s internet landscape, where consumers may soon face fewer budget-friendly options.
