Nepal’s internet services have been severely disrupted since Thursday afternoon due to a bandwidth restriction imposed by the Indian telecom giant Airtel. The widespread outage has impacted businesses, educational institutions, and daily life across the country, underscoring Nepal’s critical reliance on external providers for internet connectivity.
According to internet service providers (ISPs) in Nepal, the disruption originated from Airtel’s decision to limit bandwidth allocation from India. Airtel, a major provider of internet bandwidth to Nepal, accounts for approximately 80% of the country’s total bandwidth supply.
The Internet Service Provider Association of Nepal (ISPAN) revealed that the problem emerged following Airtel’s move to restrict bandwidth due to disputes over outstanding dues owed by Nepali authorities. Reports from various regions suggest varying degrees of disruption, with some areas experiencing complete internet shutdowns.
Businesses across Nepal have been severely affected by the outage, hindering their operations and communication channels. Educational institutions have also suffered, as online classes and remote learning have become increasingly reliant on stable internet connectivity.
As stakeholders seek a resolution to the underlying issues with Airtel, the situation has highlighted Nepal’s vulnerability stemming from its dependence on external providers for internet services. Efforts are underway to explore alternative sources of bandwidth and mitigate the impact of such disruptions in the future.
Nepali authorities and industry experts are urging swift action to resolve the dispute with Airtel and restore normalcy to internet services across the country, which are crucial for economic growth, education, and modern life.
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