PMO scrutiny of Nepal Telecom billing tender raises concerns over interference
Summary
The prime minister’s office has begun reviewing Nepal Telecom’s proposed billing-system tender, raising concerns inside the state-owned operator about outside interference in technical and procurement decisions. The dispute comes as Nepal Telecom prepares a new Rs5 billion procurement after earlier attempts were stalled by legal and administrative challenges.
Key Points
- The PMO’s IT study task force has asked for documents on Nepal Telecom’s proposed billing-system procurement, including technical diagrams and 4G/LTE details.
- Nepal Telecom officials say the review amounts to outside interference, while the PMO insists it is a routine technical assessment.
- The tender is for a new billing system estimated at around Rs5 billion, after earlier attempts were delayed by legal challenges and complaints.
- The dispute has revived debate over whether Nepal Telecom should buy the system as one integrated platform or split software and hardware contracts.
