Nepal Telecom Extends 4G Internet Service in Humla

Nepal Telecom has extended its 4G internet service to Chankheli Rural Municipality in Humla, bringing high-speed connectivity to one of Nepal’s remote mountain communities. Residents welcomed the upgrade, saying it will improve daily life and public services, the state-run national news agency RSS reported.

“The 4G service has accelerated our work,” Harka Budha, a health worker at the Melchham Health Post, told RSS. Chankheli Rural Municipality Chair Pyarilal Shahi expressed confidence that the service will create new opportunities in education, health care, and communications. Officials said the rollout will soon cover most of Humla’s lower belt.

According to RSS, Nepal Telecom reported that 4G coverage now includes Tajakot, Adanchuli, and Sarkegad rural municipalities in Humla, Soru Rural Municipality in Mugu, and adjoining areas of Bajura and Mugu districts.

Read: 11.53% of Nepalis Still Rely on 2G Networks Despite Growing 4G Coverage

The 4G expansion in Chankheli builds on earlier developments in Humla. The company first introduced 4G on January 4, 2024, when service began in Tajkot Rural Municipality, a southern belt of Humla. At the time, residents described the arrival of reliable mobile internet as transformative, enabling online services in local offices and easing long-standing communication challenges. Local officials had said the service would improve administrative work, public service delivery, education, health, and social communication, connecting residents to relatives across the globe.

Despite global advances toward 5G, 4G remains Nepal’s dominant mobile technology. According to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, as of mid-January 2025, 85.98% of the population, about 25.1 million people, use 4G. In comparison, 11.53% of Nepalis, or around 3.36 million, still rely on 2G, while only 3.17%, or about 0.92 million, use 3G. Nepal has not yet introduced 5G commercially, even though Nepal Telecom conducted 5G trials in 2021.