State-backed Nepal Telecom has launched 4G and 2G services in the Bam area of Mugu district, expanding mobile broadband and voice connectivity across one of Nepal’s geographically challenging mountain regions.
The operator brought the network into service through a new cellular tower located in Chhayanath Rara Municipality-14, overcoming difficult terrain that had complicated the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure in the area.
The expansion is expected to improve connectivity for residents, businesses and visitors while also reducing pressure on existing mobile infrastructure around the district headquarters.
New tower expands coverage across nearby settlements
Nepal Telecom said the new site is extending mobile services beyond Bam itself, covering surrounding locations including the Bam-Lum area and settlements stretching from Gamgadhi towards Syauru.
Coverage is also expected to improve along the route from Gamgadhi towards New Road through Thini and extending towards Im.
The additional tower should also absorb some mobile traffic currently handled by sites serving Gamgadhi, helping reduce network congestion and potentially improve overall service quality in the district headquarters.
4G brings broadband and VoLTE capabilities
The deployment provides local users with access to 4G mobile broadband alongside continued 2G availability for voice connectivity.
Customers with compatible devices and services can also use Nepal Telecom’s VoLTE network, enabling voice calls to operate over the 4G network.
For remote communities, the availability of mobile broadband can extend beyond personal communications by improving access to online education, digital government services, mobile banking, business applications and other internet-based services.
Connectivity could also support tourism in Mugu, a mountainous district that includes the Rara Lake region and where difficult terrain can make conventional fixed communications infrastructure challenging to deploy.
Remote geography remains major infrastructure challenge
Deploying telecommunications infrastructure across Nepal’s mountainous regions often requires operators to overcome difficult site access, power availability and transportation challenges.
The Bam deployment illustrates the role of individual mobile towers in closing remaining coverage gaps where population density and terrain make infrastructure expansion more complex.
Such sites may serve relatively small populations compared with urban deployments, but can have a disproportionately large impact in communities where alternative broadband infrastructure is limited.
Nepal Telecom pushes towards nationwide 4G coverage
Nepal Telecom says its 4G network has now reached more than 98% of Nepal’s local administrative levels.
The company is targeting nationwide coverage by the end of fiscal year 2083/84 under the Nepali calendar.
Its network modernisation programme also includes gradually retiring older mobile technologies as 4G availability expands.
Nepal Telecom has started phasing out 3G services with the aim of shutting down the network by fiscal year 2083/84. The operator is also withdrawing 2G services from the 1800 MHz spectrum band.
That transition could allow spectrum and network resources to be redirected towards newer technologies, although basic 2G connectivity remains part of the new Bam deployment.
Source: https://meatechwatch.com/2026/09/01/nepal-telecom-extends-4g-coverage-to-remote-bam-area-in-mugu/
