18th March 2023, Kathmandu
WorldLink Communications Pvt. Ltd. is the largest Internet and network service provider in Nepal. Founded in 1995, WorldLink has been providing internet services to Nepali consumers and businesses for more than two decades.
WorldLink offers a wide range of internet services, including fiber-optic internet, cable internet, and wireless internet, with speeds ranging from 5 Mbps to 1000 Mbps. They also offer a variety of network and data services, such as leased lines, virtual private networks, and data center services.
In addition to internet and network services, WorldLink also offers digital TV services, including cable TV and IPTV. They offer a range of packages with different channel lineups and prices to cater to the needs of their customers.
WorldLink is known for its reliable and fast internet services and has won several awards for its performance and customer satisfaction. They have a large customer base across Nepal, with a presence in major cities and towns.
“Within three years, 70 percent of people will be connected to Internet access by Worldlink”
Internet service provider Worldlink officially launched FTTH fiber internet service for the first time in Jumla, a Himalayan district of Karnali region on Wednesday.
According to Worldlink, after nearly five years of efforts, fiber net service testing was started in Jumla headquarters last June.
On Wednesday, the company announced the official launch of Kathmandu Gati’s internet service after 8 months of testing.
In the program of expansion of high-speed internet service in various places of the district where even mobile service is not effective, Dilip Agrawal, President of Worldlink, said that the fiber internet launch in Jumla is not only a business but also a campaign to connect the country.
“There was wireless internet in Jumla, now we have brought fiber net internet. The world’s highest-speed internet will be delivered to Jumla and the whole of Karnali,” said President Agrawal.
We asked Agrawal after Agrawal’s announcement to increase Worldlink’s reach in Durg by leaving the service expansion with NAF in an urban-oriented population and easy geographical areas. What does Worldlink gain from this? In response, Agarwal said, “We want to connect Karnali with the world rather than make a profit.”
According to Dileep Agrawal, Worldlink will now work together with its investment partner to expand access across the country and will bring 70 percent of the population to high-speed Internet access in the next three years. An edited excerpt of a brief conversation with Agrawal is presented here.
The Nepal Telecommunications Authority introduced the program of Rural Telecommunication Development Fund. No company in Karnali province participated in the authority’s program to expand wireless internet services in remote areas.
The condition was that the company would invest in Internet expansion and the authority would support the additional costs incurred. However, none of the telecommunications service providers were interested in it. Then the authority proposed to us, can you do this work? We also looked. Our team visited Jumla and Karnali provinces. I reached that area twice.
When you visited Karnali for the first time, did you imagine that the company would benefit from increasing internet access in this area?
It became a mindset that we would also be proud if Worldlink could provide internet for telecommunication in the province where the services of even the big mobile service providers were not reached. It also meant our great contribution and business expansion. Then we started wireless internet service in Joomla.
Similarly, in March 2021, we started Wi-Fi wireless internet service in Se Phoksundo. We inaugurated this internet service through the Chief Minister of Karnali. Now slowly our love for Karnali started deepening. First, we were connecting Karnali with the world, secondly, the residents of Karnali were happy with our service. Then why not service along with business? The company came to the mindset that why not connect Karnali with internet access?
Internet access expansion service in Karnali business?
Rather than making money, we focused on developing the Internet in Karnali. We concluded that if we connect Karnali through the internet, firstly this service will expand, secondly, it will gradually become a business. It also happened that the people of Karnali can pay money for their facilities. However, such earnings are not immediate but long-term. That is to say after 8/10 years.
How easy is fiber internet in Karnali?
It is not difficult to extend fiber service to the places where roads and poles reach. However, it is difficult to maintain such a facility in a place where there is a certain amount of business. In difficult terrain like Karnali, it is most difficult to reduce the interruption of services due to floods, landslides, and snowfall.
However, we have made arrangements to manage it by forming a strong team. In some places, there are difficulties such as having to keep solar panels due to lack of electricity. It is more difficult to operate a network than to create it in this province.
Jumla Mat fiber has been added, now will it be extended further throughout the Karnali province?
Of course, now we have taken fiber from Surkhet to Jumla. Now we connect it by making a double circuit. After this, we quickly extend the fiber to as many places as the poles in Karnali. Our investors are also ready for this.
What return is Worldlink expanding this risky investment?
We don’t want to make a profit now, we just want to expand the service and establish internet access for people. We are confident that it will pay off in the long run.
Is Worldlink working on expanding internet services in other remote areas?
Of course, we are moving forward to provide internet services to all Nepalis by making our service standard. If the government had allowed us to expand the wireless spectrum service, we would have made a huge leap.
However, we only have fiber as an option. However, despite the difficulties and high costs, we are committed to expanding Internet access through fiber. We are also working to extend internet access to remote areas. In the next two to three years, we will also increase our investment and connect about 70 percent of the people of Nepal with Internet access.
