Nepal’s satellite installation process canceled

Kathmandu (Rashtriya Samachar Samiti): Nepal Telecom Authority (NTA) has canceled the process of installation of the country’s own satellite. NTA issued a notice on Friday stating that the old proposal has been canceled to move the new process forward.

According to the authority, selected companies were rejected after they did not respond on time. NTA has decided to cancel all the proposals and procurement processes as per the Public Procurement Act, 2063 BS.

The NTA had called for a new proposal last November to cancel the old proposal and set a policy on regulation and security, trade and operation modalities of satellite installation.

As per the NTA’s proposal, nine companies from different countries had submitted their letter of interest last December. Out of the nine companies that submitted letters of interest, NTA had shortlisted five companies technically qualified and demanded financial proposals.

Of the five companies asked for proposals, only four submitted proposals. NTA co-spokesperson Achutananda Mishra informed that the process had to be canceled as the financial proposal was not received within the stipulated time.

According to him, the process of having Nepal’s own satellite will start from the new process.

Earlier, 22 companies from 12 countries had expressed interest in having a satellite in the letter of interest called by NTA to keep Nepal’s own satellite.

Twenty-two companies from the United States, China, India, Thailand, Singapore, Canada, France, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Israel had submitted proposals to install satellites for Nepal.

As the telecommunication service providers’ radios and televisions are being operated by foreign satellites, the government aims to operate the radios and televisions by connecting its own satellites.