Ncell to Deploy Satellite Communication Equipment in Nepal's Flood-Cutoff Zones

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 6, Nepali mobile operator Ncell initiated preparations for deploying satellite communications in the flood-affected areas of the Bhotekoshi River, planning to transport satellite communication equipment to approximately 20 locations in Rasuwa District that remain without connectivity, while dispatching technical teams to the site. Ncell is arranging charter flights to transport the necessary equipment, which will be deployed by on-site technicians upon arrival to restore communication services in areas temporarily beyond the reach of fixed fiber and mobile base stations.

This deployment responds to the damage to communication infrastructure caused by the late-August flooding of the Bhotekoshi River. Ncell confirmed that the floods and landslides caused damage to over 60 kilometers of fiber optic links, with related infrastructure losses exceeding NPR 90 million. The fiber outages temporarily affected 27 mobile communication sites across the three districts of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading; as of early September, 24 of those sites had been restored to operation.

Sites not yet fully restored include Ghattekhola and Timure in Rasuwa District, as well as the Trishuli site in the Bidur area of Nuwakot District. Among these, the Ghattekhola site was completely destroyed in the floods, while damaged sites such as Trishuli and Tiru had previously undergone on-site repairs by technical personnel. Road transport conditions remain constrained in some affected areas, and Ncell had earlier proposed using helicopters to transport personnel and equipment to sites inaccessible by land; this satellite communication deployment continues to use air transport to deliver communication equipment to areas that remain offline.

Ncell operates a total of 78 mobile communication sites across the three districts of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading. On August 30, the company had restored 75 of those sites to operation; as repair efforts continued, the latest statistics released by the Nepal Telecommunications Authority on September 6 show that 76 of Ncell's 78 sites in the affected areas have been restored to operation. During the same period, 116 of Nepal Telecom's 120 affected sites had been restored.

The Nepal Telecommunications Authority announced on September 6 that the Bhotekoshi–Trishuli floods caused approximately NPR 450 million in damage to local communication infrastructure, with the damaged assets concentrated mainly in mobile communication towers and related network facilities. The regulator also confirmed that satellite communication has been adopted as an alternative connectivity method in the affected areas, and that mobile coverage in most regions is being maintained through restored base stations.

Ncell has been continuously carrying out network restoration in the affected areas since the disaster. Following the floods, the company opened free data, cross-network voice, and SMS services to affected users, extending the originally planned 3-day free service by an additional 7 days; as of September 3, these services had covered more than 300,000 users. The company also restored communication functionality for over 25,000 SIM cards that had previously been subject to one-way or two-way restrictions due to outstanding balances or prolonged non-recharge.

Ncell is currently continuing its efforts to restore damaged fiber optic lines, mobile sites, and remaining areas without service, with satellite communication equipment to be used at approximately 20 locations where regular network coverage has yet to be restored. According to the latest statistics from the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, most affected mobile sites have been brought back into operation, with remaining work focused on severely damaged sites, fiber optic lines, and areas where regular network service cannot yet be restored.