October 4: Internet service in most places across the country including the Kathmandu Valley has been affected after the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) launched a drive to remove internet cables from utility poles used by internet service providers (ISPs).
The Nepal Electricity Authority and the Internet Service Providers are at loggerheads after the former increased rental charges for utility poles used by ISPs. The authority has blamed that ISPs are yet to clear their longstanding arrears for using utility poles.    
The NEA said it has asked ISPs time and again to clear the arrears. It had been warning to remove internet cables from utility poles if they continued to ignore its calls and failed to clear the arrears until October 1, NEA claimed.    
The Federation of Computer Association Nepal has protested against NEA’s move to remove internet cables. Internet service has been affected in areas including Kathmandu, Bharatpur, Butwal, Biratnagar, Dhankuta, Dharan, Taplejung, Khadichaur and Dhangadhi after NEA removed internet cables, according to a statement issued by the CAN Federation.    
Following the move, CAN Federation has demanded the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to increase internet charge by Rs 150 to Rs 300 per subscriber.

“But our demand has been ignored so far,” according to the statement issued by CAN Federation General Secretary Narayan Thapa. -- RSS