Kathmandu: Nepal’s leading private sector internet service providers are encountering issues with their services. WorldLink, a prominent internet service provider, has notified users of disruptions in internet connectivity since early this afternoon.
This disruption comes amidst ongoing payment disputes between Nepali companies and Indian telecommunications giant Airtel. Despite repeated attempts by Airtel to collect dues, Nepali companies have failed to settle outstanding bills, leading to interruptions in internet services.
Nepali companies owe Airtel approximately three billion rupees, but the government has rejected Airtel’s request for foreign currency conversion citing unresolved debts. The government has only approved the conversion of around one and a half billion rupees out of the total outstanding amount.
However, internet service providers argue that the government’s unilateral decision to convert debts in an arbitrary manner is unjust. They claim that they cannot clear their dues until the government resolves this issue of non-convertibility of foreign currency.
As a result of the payment dispute between the government and private companies, networks of major international internet service providers such as WorldLink, Vianet, and Subisu are experiencing sluggish performance.
Furthermore, Nepali internet service providers have been unable to pay international bandwidth fees to Indian companies like Airtel and Tata for over a year.
The ongoing conflict between the government and private companies has led to a slowdown in internet services provided by major international players in Nepal. Without resolution, users may continue to experience disruptions in internet connectivity in the coming days. Stay tuned for further updates as the situation unfolds.