NTA tells govt to open VoB service

REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU Nov 30: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) has recommended the Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC) to open Voice over Broadband Service (VoBS) - a technology that allows the use of telephone service via internet - for private companies.

VoBS is a part of a project on information technology supported by Asian Development Bank that requires the government to gradual open Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIPs).

NTA, however, has suggested the government to select companies that can operate the service in at least 25 districts, including 1,300 VDCs, to run VoBS, according to Kailash Prasad Neupane, spokesperson of NTA.

According to existing regulation, operators can use internet to make calls abroad but cannot receive calls made from other countries via internet.

The companies operating VoBS can make and receive calls to and from other countries via internet.

The telecom regulator has not fixed the number of service providers to operate VoBS.

Neupane informed Republica that NTA has already developed the infrastructure to distribute internet with the speed of 256 kbps. He also said the VoBS provider will have the access to VoIP gateway, data and voice.

Narayan Regmi, joint-secretary at MoIC, informed Republica that the ministry was currently studying the recommendation of the telecom regulator.
VOBS is based on WiMax technology with frequency band of 2.3 Mhz.

Neupane said the telephone service run under VoBS will have separate numbering range which is yet to be finalized.