Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KATHMANDU653
2009-07-20 08:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kathmandu
how-toVZCZCXRO1514 PP RUEHCI DE RUEHKT #0653 2010839 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 200839Z JUL 09 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0508 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7046 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7364 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 2695 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3138 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 4678 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEAFCC/FCC WASHDC
UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000653
SIPDIS
EEB/CIP/BA: TIMOTHY C. FINTON; FCC: ROBERT TANNER;
DOC/ITA/OTEC: ANDREW BENNETT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECPS NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL DRAFTS FIRST BROADBAND POLICY
REF: STATE 27310
(U) Amar Sthapit, Deputy Director of the Engineering
Department at the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA),
recently told Emboff that the NTA has drafted the country's
first broadband policy and it is currently under public
review. Sthapit said that the policy calls for the
Government of Nepal to establish at least one broadband
service facility in each of the 75 district headquarters, but
does not cover the outlying areas of the districts.
Broadband service is currently limited to about a dozen urban
areas served by private providers. Although there is no
deadline for the closure of public comment, Sthapit said the
NTA, which is under the Ministry of Information and
Communications, expects to implement the policy this fiscal
year, which began July 16. He promised to provide Post with
a copy of the plan once public comments are incorporated.
MOON