Kathmandu, December 09: Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) and Nepal Telecom (NT) have recently signed an agreement to lay 2,500-kilometre-long optical fibre in the Karnali Province and Sudurpaschim Province along the East-West Highway, Mid-Hill Highway and Postal Highway.
The two organizations are also expected to sign construction agreement within a month after completing the detailed study of the project, according to media reports. As per such deal, NT shall be liable for laying optical fibre cables in both the provinces in areas stretching from Musikot of Rukum to Jhulaghat of Baitadi district. Similarly, it will lay a minimum 96 core optical fibre cables along the said three highways and 48 core optical fibre cables along the routes connecting the highway with the headquarters of 20 districts. It will also lay 24 core optical fibre cables in routes connecting the highway with different municipalities in these districts.
This optical fibre project is being executed in line with the government’s plan to expand broadband network across all district headquarters, municipalities, schools and health centres. The NT will soon ask for a global tender and award the contract to lay the optical fibre in the two provinces. The project is expected to get accomplished within two years.
Notably, NTA had earlier reached an agreement with Smart Telecom for executing it. But the Authority annulled the very deal on October 28 citing unwarranted delays in carrying out the project.
