The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has ordered 20 internet service providers to immediately clear their outstanding payments, warning of strict action for continued non-compliance.
In a public notice issued today, the regulatory body stated that legal measures will be initiated if the companies fail to settle the required government fees within the given deadline. The NTA has provided a 35-day ultimatum for these firms to submit their pending royalty payments and Rural Telecommunications Development Fund (RTDF) dues.
According to the notice, failure to pay the dues and submit required documents within the stipulated time could lead to the cancellation of their operating licenses under the Telecommunications Act.
The authority said that the concerned ISPs have not paid the mandatory fees owed to the government for an extended period. In addition to unpaid charges, the companies have also failed to submit audited financial reports and annual statements as required by the regulator.
After repeatedly ignoring previous instructions, the NTA issued a public notice as a final warning.
As per Nepal’s Telecommunications Act and regulations, all licensed telecom operators must pay 4 percent of their annual revenue to the government as royalty. Furthermore, an additional 2 percent must be deposited into the Rural Telecommunications Development Fund. Non-compliance with these legal provisions has prompted the authority to enforce recovery actions.
