Nepal Telecom Delays 5G Trial Due to Limited Compatible Devices
Key Takeaways
- NTC delays 5G trial from January 1, 2023, due to a lack of 5G phones supporting the 2600MHz band
- The trial will use Non-Standalone architecture, relying on existing 4G infrastructure
- NTC must report progress to NTA every three months or risk losing its 5G license
Nepal Telecom (NTC), the state-owned telecom provider, has postponed its planned 5G trial in Nepal. Initially set to begin on January 1, 2023, the trial has been delayed due to the limited number of mobile devices in the local market that support the 2600MHz frequency band required for 5G service.
NTC had secured the necessary spectrum in November 2021 and completed the installation of 5G hardware across four provinces following approval from the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA). The Ministry of Communication, Information, and Technology has directed NTC to conduct trials in all seven provinces, which may involve additional hardware installations.
The telecom operator had previously aimed to launch the trial after the Tihar festival but faced further delays due to the November 21 general election. Now, NTC reports that very few mobile devices currently available in Nepal operate on the 2600MHz 5G band. Before proceeding, the company plans to assess the number of compatible devices in the market.
The upcoming trials will utilize a Non-Standalone (NSA) architecture, meaning the 5G network will be built on top of the existing 4G infrastructure to reduce costs. NTC intends to test a Standalone architecture with dedicated 5G core infrastructure at a later date.
NTC is required to submit progress reports to the NTA every three months. Failure to demonstrate progress could result in the revocation of NTC's 5G license. If the trial proceeds as planned, NTC will have free access to the 2600MHz band for one year without charging users for 5G services. After the trial period, the spectrum must be returned to the NTA, and the networking equipment used can be repurposed for the existing 4G network.
Meanwhile, Ncell, the private telecom operator, has yet to receive approval for its own 5G trial request despite applying months ago.
