NTA to recover Rs 8.05 billion in dues from defunct UTL
Summary
The Nepal Telecommunications Authority has decided to recover Rs 8.05 billion in dues from defunct United Telecom Limited and freeze its assets and bank accounts. The move ends UTL’s bid to renew its license and re-enter Nepal’s telecom market.
Key Points
- The Nepal Telecommunications Authority will recover non-tax dues and fines from United Telecom Limited as government arrears after its basic telephone license was automatically canceled on September 5.
- NTA has ordered the freezing of UTL’s movable and immovable assets, bank accounts, and network infrastructure, and will form a valuation committee.
- UTL’s unpaid liabilities include frequency fees, royalties and Rural Telecommunication Development Fund contributions, with penalties and interest pushing the total estimated debt much higher.
- The crackdown comes amid broader scrutiny of how Nepal’s telecom regulator has handled defunct operators and unpaid statutory dues.
