16th Feb 2021, Kathmandu
Location Tracking Service will now be promoted as a separate service with the intention of controlling and managing it. In order to do so, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority will issue licenses openly.
NTA has agreed to handle the use of the position tracking system for vehicles and different services. On that basis, NTA decided to suggest location tracking to the government as a separate service.
“Until now, the ministry had been giving approval for GPS tracking,” said Min Prasad Aryal, NTA spokesperson. As the process is lengthy, NTA has decided to allow and regulate location tracking services with the intention of managing it.
The required provisions were also adopted at the meeting of the NTA Board held last Monday. The NTA is now going to recommend the regulations to the Ministry. As soon as the Ministry passes the legislation, location tracking will go forward as a separate operation. However, permission given earlier by the Ministry will be revoked.
At the same time, the location monitoring service will come under the principle of ‘open license’. And it will be the authority who will grant, control and maintain the license. The license issued by NTA would therefore be valid for 5 years at a time. Interested service providers can receive a license for this by paying Rs 200,000.
The service provider requesting such authorization would provide facilities for the provision of the service to other businesses. However, the fee for the provision of such a service should be charged on the basis of the fee defined by the NTA.
The company would have to keep all details on the service offered to other service providers and to keep the information private.
In order to do this, the Ministry instructed NTA to carry out the required study in the regulations relating to the location tracking system. And to make the necessary suggestions. On that basis, NTA reviewed the international practice and submitted it to the NTA Board for decision.
The Board then passed the Regulations on the basis of the report. Its purpose is to control the position tracking system.
NTA spokesperson Aryal said, “It has been found that some companies have been using such services without permission before.” As soon as the new regulations are passed, the operation of services without permission will be strictly prohibited. If found, the action shall be taken in accordance with the law.
