Nepal Telecom Market Size (2024 - 2029)

The Nepal telecom market is poised for growth, driven by government initiatives and infrastructure expansion, despite challenges such as topographical and financial issues. The mobile sector dominates the market, with significant investments directed towards enhancing network coverage and data services. The government's focus on digitalization and connectivity, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has further propelled the industry's development. While the mobile market is well-established, there remains potential for growth in the fixed-line sector. The competitive landscape, characterized by a few major players, and a relatively saturated market, may limit the pace of expansion.

Market Size of Nepal Telecom Industry

Nepal Telecom Market Summary
Study Period 2019 - 2029
Base Year For Estimation 2023
Forecast Data Period 2024 - 2029
Historical Data Period 2019 - 2022
CAGR 7.00 %
Market Concentration High

Major Players

Nepal Telecom Market Major Players

*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order

Nepal Telecom Market Analysis

The Nepal telecom market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7% over the next five years. Nepal's telecom industry is challenged by various topographical and financial issues that have made it difficult to build the network infrastructure and raise end-user service standards. The telecom industry in the country is consolidated with the three major telecom players, Smart Telecom Private Limited (STPL), Ncell Axiata Limited, and Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited (NDCL).

  • To make Nepal a significant center for international communications, the Nepali government has taken the initiative. In Nepal's telecom industry, the mobile market remains the key emphasis. Due to operator infrastructure expansion, Nepal's mobile sector continues to get most of the domestic capital investment. Government-sponsored reforms and policies, especially during the past decade, have fundamentally altered the landscape of Nepal's telecommunications industry.
  • In Nepal, there is still room for growth in the fixed-line sector. The monopoly of the mobile market is a significant factor in this. As mobile usage for voice and data/broadband use continues to rise, the industry is expected to expand marginally more over the next five years through 2027. The overall wireless market in Nepal has grown incredibly quickly over the past five years and is now comparatively established. Due to fierce local rivalry and a relatively saturated market, the country would be restrained from seeing faster growth.
  • The national telecommunications network in Nepal is massive. Robust growth in the number of telecom customers has forced network expansion to serve a larger region, necessitating a sizeable investment in telecom infrastructure. As a result of an increase in data use, the leading mobile providers are currently preparing to expand their coverage. High levels of investment have been made in new data centers due to the yearly growth in the amount of data processed and the rising need for data localization.
  • With the extensive coverage of 654 local bodies and 85% of the population, Nepal Telecom expanded its 4G network to the nation's 77 districts. The fifth generation (5G) mobile internet, which would soon be available in Nepal, is supported by FTTH, making it a crucial initiative. Nepal Telecom (NTC) has long been involved in the 5G trend. In November 2021, the state-owned telecom obtained the 5G spectrum. And at long last, the business is about to start 5G trials in the nation after over a year of waiting. Sundhara and Babarmahal in Kathmandu would be the first locations where the telecom launches its fifth-generation network before moving on to more towns.,
  • The COVID-19 outbreak brought attention to how crucial connectivity is to Nepal's society, commerce, and economy. Utilizing digitalization for the betterment of the nation's telecom expansion has been one of Government Nepal's main goals. It was the pandemic that accelerated this process. The government has also introduced technologies like Nepal National Single0 Window to make online import and export transactions more seamless. During the pandemic, mobile banking and mobile payment usage increased. As mentioned in an IIDS report on the Digitization of the Nepali Economy, digital transactions have increased dramatically from NPR 3.1 billion (USD 24000 million) in the fiscal year 2016-17 to NPR 221.1 billion (USD 1.70 billion in the fiscal year 2019-20. Undoubtedly, Nepal's telecom sector made massive progress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nepal Telecom Industry Segmentation

The report provides an in-depth analysis of the telecommunication industry in Nepal. 

The market studied is segmented by service (voice services (wired, wireless), data and messaging services, and OTT and pay TV). The market sizes and forecasts are provided in terms of value (USD million) for all the above segments.

Segmentation by Services (Coverage to include Average Revenue Per User for the overall Services segment, Market size and Estimates for each segment for the period of 2020-2027 and in-depth Trend Analysis)
Voice Services
Wired
Wireless
Data and Messaging Services (Coverage to include Internet & Handset Data packages, Package Discounts)
OTT and PayTV Services
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Nepal Telecom Market Size Summary

The Nepal telecom market is poised for significant growth, driven by a compound annual growth rate over the next five years. The industry faces challenges due to the country's diverse topography and economic conditions, which complicate network infrastructure development and service standard enhancement. The market is dominated by three major players: Smart Telecom Private Limited, Ncell Axiata Limited, and Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited. The government's initiative to position Nepal as a key international communication hub has spurred focus on the mobile sector, which attracts the majority of domestic capital investment. Despite the mobile market's dominance, there remains potential for growth in the fixed-line sector, although the mobile monopoly limits faster expansion. The wireless market has seen rapid growth, but local competition and market saturation pose challenges to accelerated growth.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of connectivity, prompting the government to leverage digitalization to enhance telecom infrastructure. Initiatives like the Nepal National Single Window have streamlined online transactions, while mobile banking and payment usage surged. Urban areas, particularly the Kathmandu Valley, exhibit higher internet penetration and device ownership, with a significant rise in internet users over the past year. The government's Digital Nepal initiative aims to integrate the growing population into the digital economy, focusing on financial services and infrastructure development. Investments in rural internet access and digital education are part of this strategy. The market is moderately consolidated, with major players like Ncell and Nepal Telecom leading in internet service provision. Recent regulatory changes and technological advancements, such as VoLTE and FTTH services, further enhance the market's capabilities.

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Nepal Telecom Market Size - Table of Contents

  1. 1. MARKET INSIGHTS

    1. 1.1 Market Overview

    2. 1.2 Industry Ecosystem Analysis

    3. 1.3 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Force Analysis

      1. 1.3.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

      2. 1.3.2 Bargaining Power of Consumers

      3. 1.3.3 Threat of New Entrants

      4. 1.3.4 Threat of Substitute Products

      5. 1.3.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

    4. 1.4 COVID-19 Impact on the Industry Ecosystem

    5. 1.5 Regulatory Landscape in the Country

  2. 2. MARKET SEGMENTATION

    1. 2.1 Segmentation by Services (Coverage to include Average Revenue Per User for the overall Services segment, Market size and Estimates for each segment for the period of 2020-2027 and in-depth Trend Analysis)

      1. 2.1.1 Voice Services

        1. 2.1.1.1 Wired

        2. 2.1.1.2 Wireless

      2. 2.1.2 Data and Messaging Services (Coverage to include Internet & Handset Data packages, Package Discounts)

      3. 2.1.3 OTT and PayTV Services

Nepal Telecom Market Size FAQs

The Nepal Telecom Market is projected to register a CAGR of 7% during the forecast period (2024-2029)

Smart Telecom Private Limited (STPL), Ncell Axiata Limited, Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited (NDCL), CG Communications Limited and WorldLink Communications are the major companies operating in the Nepal Telecom Market.

Nepal Telecom Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024 - 2029)