Minister for Information and Communications Shankar Pokharel told that Nepal may get a third mobile carrier. But will it happen soon? No, it won’t

The two current carriers, Nepal Telecom and Mero Mobile, have a guarantee in place that no other operators will enter the scene until September 2010 at the earliest. Even then they will try every might to make it difficult for any new entry in the sector. The minister’s remark looks nothing more than a threat for the current providers. With unstable political situation, one can’t say weather  Shankar Pokharel will remain a minister or a mere subscriber by September next year.

“It is the responsibility of the telecom company to provide the best quality of service to the consumers whether by upgrading the technology or hiring qualified human resources who know how to fix the problems…If they fail to come up with a solution, the government will have to resort to the option of bringing in another telecom company to enhance competition and give the quality of service that people desire.” (source)

Nepal has about 4.65 million mobile users and more than 75% are not satisfied with the service provided by the two carriers. Mobile penetration rate in Nepal is a mere 15.5%.