NTA approves tariff for Spice Nepal

Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA)—a regulatory body—has approved tariff of mobile phone services to be launched by Spice Nepal Private Limited (SNPL), the first private cell phone operator, in the country.

SNPL is preparing to launch its services under the brand name ‘Mero Mobile’ (My Mobile) from the middle of this month.

As per the rates approved by the NTA, calls made from post-paid ‘Mero Mobile’ to `Mero Mobile’ during peak hour (8 a. m. to 10 p. m.) will cost four rupees per minute while during off-peak hours it will cost two rupees per minute.

Similarly, outgoing calls from pre-paid Mero Mobile will cost Rs 4.80 per minute during both peak and off peak hours. Incoming calls originated from SNPL as well as other PSTN and mobile cell phone operators, however, are free of cost in both pre-paid and post-paid services, according to reports.

According to Kantipur daily, the ordinary post-paid services of SNPL will be available at Rs 4,500 which will include one time sim card activation charge of Rs 1,000, refundable deposit (credit limit) of Rs 3,000 and Rs 500 monthly rental.

Spice Nepal, which is introducing its services inside Kathmandu valley from September 17 has stated that refundable deposit on post-paid service with domestic/international call service and domestic/international/international roaming service has been fixed at Rs 5,000 and Rs 20,000, respectively.

Pre-paid services, in the meantime, will me made available at Rs 1,000, which will entail Rs 500 worth of recharge card.

The SNPL is yet to enter into inter-connection agreement with the state-owned Nepal Telecommunications Company (NTC). NTC had earlier rejected a proposal by the SNPL saying that it was against increasing existing prices of calls made by the customers. nepalnews.com by Sep 02 05

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