Most of the locals in Shivnath and Pancheswar are forced to use Indian SIMs rather than Nepal Telecom SIMs due to electricity and tower problems.
What you should know
There is no electricity extension in all places of Baitadi. Nepal Telecom has built a solar side tower (powered by solar energy) in remote areas where there is no electricity. On days when the sun is not shining, when the tower operated by solar energy does not work, the people of that area are deprived of telephone service.
Most of the people of Shivnath, Pancheswar rural municipality in the district use Indian SIM rather than Nepal Telecom. Pahl Buskell of Pancheswar said that he is using the net on an Indian SIM because he can buy a cheap netpack. Since the border of these two municipalities is connected with India, everyone has an Indian SIM. The people of other places are completely deprived of service when the tower of Nepal Telecom is not working.
Ishwar Kalouni of Shivnath-2 Sunkot said that along with telecom SIMs, the locals who are connected to the border with India also keep Indian Vodafone, Jio, VI SIMs. "There is a cloud in the sky and the tower is not coming to Namaste's SIM," he said, "We make audio/video calls with our relatives using the Indian SIM.
Nepal Telecom has built towers in 41 places in Baitadi." Out of which 12 towers are solar side (solar powered). The office head of Telecom Baitadi, Narayanadatta Bhatt, said that solar side towers reduce the work on days when the sun is not shining. "Currently, electricity is being expanded in many places," he said, "The electricity authority has been coordinated with Baitadi to extend the electricity line through the telecom tower."
Bhatt said that since electricity is being expanded in Shivnath, Pancheswar, where Indian SIM is used, the process for building towers in two more places is progressing . According to Chief Bhatt, the Indian SIM used by the people of Shivnath and Pancheswar will be replaced by the construction of two more towers along with the electricity connection to the old towers.
The solar side towers in Purchoudi, Patan Municipality and Sigas, Dilasaini, Surnaya Rural Municipality in the district are not working. "Indian SIM does not even work here, people are completely dependent on Nepal Telecom's Namaste SIM, so there are more problems," said Gaurav Chand of Sigas.
The Baitadi Telecom Office has informed that the problem of many solar side towers will be solved within the current financial year as the work of electricity expansion at all local levels of the district is intensifying.
