UTL receives basic telephone service license

United Telecom Limited (UTL) has received a unified license (also known as basic telephone service license) from NTA (Nepal Telecommunication Authority), which allows it to expand GSM mobile services nationwide. UTL has been awarded the basic telephone service license after it cleared all its outstanding dues.

The government had introduced the provision of unified license publishing a notice in 2012 in Nepal Gazette. Soon after it, the government decided to issue basic telephone service to Smart telecom and UTL. Smart Telecom acquired the license in 2013 after paying its due amount to the government. But the Indian joint venture company failed to receive the permit due to being unable to pay required frequency, license and royalty fees and submit rollout plan to NTA.

The first private sector telecom company is now the fourth service provider with the basic telephone service permit after Nepal Telecom, Ncell and Smart Telecom. The unified license has a validity of ten years. UTL has been currently providing limited mobility and fixed line telephone services based on CDMA-technology.

It received a license for CDMA WLL and Limited Mobility in 2002.The Company currently has 526,539 customers in fixed line and limited mobility. Three Indian companies namely Telecommunication Consultants Pvt Ltd, Tata Communication Limited and Mahanagar Nigam Limited hold 80% shared in UTL and the rest 20% is owned by Nepal ventures, a Nepalese company.