Nepal will finally start getting the Chinese internet bandwidth from August as Chinese authorities are in the last stage of giving final touches to the optical fiber laying process on its side.

“The Chinese authorities have started to re-locate the already laid optical fiber in areas around Lhasa after some fragments of the laid fibers were damaged and its maintenance became impossible owing to unfavorable weather conditions coupled with frequent avalanches,” said a spokesperson of NT.

“Chinese authorities, including China Telecom, have started works to relocate the fiber cable in areas where connections were lost earlier instead of waiting for the favorable weather to start maintenance works,” Shovan Adhikari, spokesperson for NT, said.

Stating that the China Telecom is re-locating optical fiber along 20-kilometre stretch around Lhasa, Adhikari said, “The Chinese side has assured us that the entire optical fiber laying process would be completed soon and the line would be connected to NT’s optical fiber that has already been extended up to Rasuwagadi-Kyirong border.”

However, NT is gearing up for a confirmation testing before launching the project commercially. NT has already laid the optical fiber from Kathmandu to Rasuwagadi (approximately 90 kilometers) to link with China Telecom.

Signed between NT and China Telecom in December last year, the cross-border optical fiber link will enable Nepal to connect to the world via Hong Kong through China Telecom.

Nepal is currently linked to the global internet connectivity through Indian telecom operators via different optical fiber connections in Biratnagar, Bhairahawa, Birgunj, among others.

Similarly, the Chinese bandwidth will also be an alternative source for the country to meet the growing demand of internet in Nepal. Optional bandwidth is also expected to increase competency of service providers in the country and reduce internet cost for consumers.