9th January 2020, Kathmandu
Smart Telecom, Nepal Satellite, and WebSurfer have been prevented from being suspended after the council’s decision. The meeting of Council of Ministers held on Monday has overturned the conclusion of the Nepal Telecommunication Authority and allowed the companies to resume operation.
The Authority had decided to cancel the license of all the three companies, claiming that they had not paid the royalty fee back to the authority. Nepal Satellite and the WebSurfer had reached the Supreme Court to file a report against the decision. Smart Telecom had even applied to the Ministry of Information and Communications seeking review of the decision made by NTA.
The Supreme Court of Nepal upheld the authority of the court in the case registered by the Nepal Satellite and WebSurfer and ordered that a decision be made under the Telecommunications Act demanding review. Following the same order, Nepal satellite and WebSurfer applied to the Ministry’s Judicial Council.
The petition was sent to the Council of Ministers, saying that the judicial committee could not decide over the case for which registrations took place with the rule being royalties to be paid in installments. Ministry spokesperson Sangita Ojha said that the Council agreed to overturn the NTA’s verdict of Ministers.
Smart Telecom is yet to submit the highest amount of Rs.2,23,25,00,017. Rural Telecommunication Development Fund and fines amounting to Rs. 28 crore 36 lakh 7 thousand, royalties include Rs. 4 crore 50 thousand, frequency sums to Rs. 7 crores 90 lakh 99 thousand and renewal charge amounts to Rs. 1 arba 50 crores.
Nepal Satellite has a sum of Rs. Eighty-two crore 70 thousand to pay for the frequency. Similarly, WebSurferis to submit Rs. Three crores 71 lakh 54 thousand.
