By Dinesh Last updated Apr 22, 2022
Telecom regulator NTA has set a minimum signal level for mobile coverage. The authority expects the latest criteria to improve mobile services from operators across Nepal, as stated in QoS measurement through Drive test of the NTA Bylaw for telecom service quality.
Mobile service by operators has often fallen short of desired standards by the regulators. In a series of drive tests by NTA, Ntc, Ncell, and Smart Cell couldn’t reach the minimum criteria the regulator has set for performance.
From Call success rate to Setup time to Call block and Drop rate, all the operators mostly came short. This reflects the poor service on the mobile subscriber’s end.
This was the case in the last drive test by NTA even around Kathmandu, the nation’s capital. We can suppose how underwhelming mobile service must be in other parts of the country.
To alleviate such degrading mobile performance, the regulator NTA has set a new range of criteria for mobile signals.
The regulator set new minimum measurements on the received power signal level after the Board meeting on Chaitra 11.
How much signal received level is required for good coverage?
“With new criteria in place, all mobile operators must be set to new specifications,” NTA director Ambar Sthapit says. The companies must ensure that their system meets the new signal level set by the regulator from cell towers to users’ mobile phones.
‘So far no minimum Rx Level standards were in existence. But after studying the worldwide industry practice, we announced the new criteria for telecom companies in Nepal. We have fixed how much received signal level is required to make calls”, Sthapit added.
The standards will apply to all the cellular standards from 2G, 3G, and 4G. For 5G, NTA will introduce separate threshold later.
