Nepal Telecom says affordable internet packages will continue despite private ISPs’ decision

Kathmandu, October 8, 2026 — Nepal Telecom has said it will continue offering its existing affordable internet packages and has no immediate plan to increase prices, following a decision by private internet service providers to stop selling low-cost, low-speed packages.

The Internet Service Providers Association Nepal decided to stop offering affordable and low-speed packages from Monday, citing rising fuel prices following tensions in the Middle East, increased fiber costs, high inflation and rising electronic chipset prices linked to the rapid growth of artificial intelligence. The association said the rising costs had made it difficult for service providers to cover their operating expenses.

The decision has raised concerns among consumers about whether internet services will become more expensive and whether low-income users could be deprived of access.

Nepal Telecom spokesperson Dr. Kamal Lamichhane said the company would continue its existing packages without increasing prices for now.

“The packages that Telecom is currently selling to customers will continue. There is no plan to increase prices at present, and the packages available from Telecom are offered at very affordable rates,” Lamichhane said in response to an inquiry by RSS.

He said Nepal Telecom offers annual and two-year fiber internet packages at affordable rates compared with other service providers. Customers purchasing fiber internet packages also receive between 600 MB and 1 GB of free mobile data per day, according to the company. One-month and three-month packages are also available.

Lamichhane said customers receive at least the bandwidth included in their packages and described the company’s billing system as transparent. Nepal Telecom also claims to offer nearly a 15 percent discount on the benefits of its annual package when customers purchase a two-year package at once.

For household customers, Nepal Telecom currently offers a 50 Mbps internet package for Rs 8,499 a year. The two-year package costs Rs 14,999 when purchased at once. Customers paying the annual fee in advance receive 600 MB of free mobile data daily, according to the company.