Employees have expressed concern that the confusion and technical risks seen in Nepal Telecom’s billing system could bring down the entire institution. At a program organized at the Telecom headquarters in Bhadrakali on Wednesday to mark the 35th anniversary of the Nepal Telecom Workers Union, representatives from various trade unions criticized the problems in the billing system, employee outsourcing, and the government’s preparations to abolish trade unions.

They accused the Telecom management of ignoring the delays and sensitivity involved in installing the new billing system. Urging that Telecom’s billing should not be treated as casually as that of a department store, employees demanded that it be made a subject of immediate national debate. Union leaders expressed concern over political or external interference in the billing system and its technical complexities, emphasizing the need to ensure its security and effectiveness.

Tej Bahadur Shahi, president of the Central Committee of the Nepal Telecommunications National Employees Organization, said that the sensitivity of the billing system was being disregarded. “Right now, our billing is being treated like that of Bhatbhateni,” he said, “but this is a sensitive system. Even a small mistake here could cause Telecom to collapse, so it should not be limited to briefings at the ministry or the Prime Minister’s Office—it must become a topic of national debate.”

Lokendra Paneru, General Secretary of the Nepal Telecom Workers Union, explained how sensitive the billing system is. He noted that it contains the profiles, SIM cards, and live data of everyone from the Prime Minister to ordinary citizens. “Because it involves international roaming, location, and various technical, economic, and social aspects, it should not be taken lightly,” Paneru said.

Another union representative, Herambadev Bhattarai, described billing as the company’s “mega project.” He also urged management to create an environment to expedite the tender process for major projects like billing and E-Node B. A company official told Kantipur that, some time ago, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers showed increased interest in the billing system and was provided photocopies of all internal documents.

Along with the confusion over billing, employees concluded that the recent introduction of employee outsourcing at Telecom has seriously affected service delivery. Unions objected that outsourcing, started as a pilot project in some offices of Bagmati Province, has undermined the institution and sidelined experienced employees. Employees demanded immediate correction, saying that outsourcing has caused customers to suffer, halted maintenance work, and damaged the company’s reputation.

Krishna Prasad Aryal, advisor to the Nepal Telecom Workers Union, commented that the outsourcing agreement has put the institution itself in crisis. “Customers who paid on the 1st of Saun still didn’t have their internet connected by the 6th,” he said. “During the World Cup, our customers couldn’t watch the games. People get restless if Wi-Fi is down for an hour, but here, customers who paid have gone six days without internet service—this is a very serious issue. Hundreds of lines are still awaiting maintenance. The people who signed the outsourcing agreement are now sitting silently—what kind of spectacle is this?”

Mani Kumar Pokharel, former president of the Nepal Telecommunications National Employees Organization, also commented that unprepared outsourcing has increased the problem of pending lines in the office. He noted that unnecessarily transferring experienced employees out has hindered their career development. The unions are preparing to hold serious discussions about these issues with the Managing Director and the Provincial Directorate.

Shahi, president of the National Employees Organization, said they were deceived when the decision to outsource was made. He complained that, although it was said during discussions at the Labor Relations Committee that it would only be tested in two or three offices, it was implemented everywhere. Shahi said that employees over 50 were sent to remote areas on the pretext that they could not see well or work, but now, in the outsourced locations, tasks that should be completed in an hour are not done even after three or four days.