15 MAY 15, KATHMANDU : Ncell, one of Nepal’s biggest foreign investors, takes its first bold step towards a 5G vision by announcing a new campaign to waive off all unintended charges for mobile data.
The campaign is called Sadhain ON or Always On, and the rationale is to empower Nepali customers to always keep their data on without having to fear that their balance will be ‘khatam’.
“Consumer needs are changing, and as more and more mobile phone users conduct their daily tasks online —from banking, to shopping, to commuting— users need their internet data to be always on,” says Ncell CEO Jabbor Kayumov.
The idea is to change Nepali customer’s data usage behavior, in line with the rest of the world. Currently, whether with Ncell or other local operator’s data plans, if a customer’s data plan finishes, he or she may not be aware that the various apps on his or her smartphone will continue eating up the remaining balance without the customer realising it.
This was a problem Ncell wanted to urgently fix. Ncell says with Sadhain ON—not only is Ncell committing to ‘no more balance khatam’ for customers but also simplifying user experience by reducing the number of data packs from over five dozen to 20.
This two-pronged campaign actually has an even bigger objective—to prepare Nepali customers for 5G.
“5G is the future of wireless technology and will revolutionize how businesses and economies function. More than 60 countries already have it. After India, we want Nepal to be the first country in South Asia to introduce 5G commercially. But to get there, we need to take an important first step, and that is, we need every Nepali to start using their mobile phones productively, which means, keep you data always on,” says Kayumov.
5G doesn’t just mean faster internet, what it really means is the ability to introduce cutting edge technology that can have a significant impact on development, from agriculture to health, education to mobility, and even tourism, paving the way for a truly Digital Nepal as envisioned by the Government.
Nepal is currently 109th in mobile broadband speed. By 2026, Ncell wants Nepal to be in the top 50.
Even though the needs and demands of Nepali mobile phone users are growing, daily data usage remains very low—only 2 out of 10 Nepalis use mobile data regularly. Also, average per customer per month data consumption is only 4GB, which is low compared to other neighboring countries.
What is on offer with Sadhain ON?
With Sadhain ON, Ncell is offering eight new plans under three categories—Basic, Best and Unlimited—starting at Rs. 98 per week to Rs. 1,499 for 28 days i.e. a month. Each plan bundled with data, all Nepal call talk time and all Nepal SMS, comes at a 2 times cheaper rate. That is not all; customers also get free social media data.
For instance, if a customer subscribes to Basic Plan of Rs. 99, customers get 2GB data, 1GB free social media data, 49 min all Nepal call talk time and 49 all Nepal SMS valid for 7 days. Similarly, customers choosing to subscribe for the Rs. 499 plan, under Best Plans are entitled to get 12GB data, 5GB free social media data, 499 mins of all Nepal call talk time and 499 all Nepal SMS with validity of 28 days.
For customers, who need more data and talk time, Ncell has Unlimited Plans loaded with large data volumes and an unlimited all Nepal call talk time facility. For example, customers subscribing to Rs. 1,499 get 100GB data, 15GB free social media data, unlimited all Nepal call talk time facility, and 1,499 all Nepal SMS valid for 28 days. Customers can subscribe any of the listed plans easily by dialing *123#
