The only Public Switched Telephone Network service (PSTN) in Nepal popularly known as landline phone service has implemented real-time-billing system , from today.
Real-time-billing is also popularly referred for pre-paid system in telecommunication services; however PSTN is a postpaid service by Nepal Telecom.
Before the landline phone users of Nepal Telecom had used to settle bills after using the service and NT had not fixed any credit limit for its landline phone customers. Their billing was on the monthly basis and has to pay at the end and beginning of the new month.
However, now that NT has enforced the pre-paid system for PSTN service as well where the customers will be required to deposit certain amount before using the PSTN service and consumers will not be able to use the service exceeding the credit limit.
“We have enforced the real-time-billing system for PSTN service in a bid to make the service more effective. This move is also a part of NT’s long-awaited plan to switch all of its services to real-time billing system,” said Prativa Baidhya, spokesperson for NT.
Previously it also used to happen that you may have a little money in your wallet than that is actually billed. So you have to again visit the NT counter to pay the actual bill. Still some people visit Nepal Telecom counter to know and pay the bill but majority can check the bill themselves easily and then pay it through recharge cards or online services like esewa and some payment service from different banks. Here we are discussing the two easiest way to know the landline bill in Nepal and pay it online. Nepal Telecom is only the landline service provider here in Nepal. To know the PSTN landline bill, there two easy ways Namely IVR and SMS means.
Along with this, all telecommunication services of Telecom except the post-paid GSM service now follow the real-time-billing system. This system certainly believed to be more efficient and transparent.
However, NT officials have hinted that they will not start cutting connections of customers abruptly for the next few days as majority of PSTN customers are unaware of the new system. Since NT has been sending the variant of SMSs to its subscribers about their changes.
Until now, NT had been charging its PSTN customers a monthly rental of Rs 200 letting customers make an average of up to 175 phone calls, depending on the time (peak hours or off-hours) that a customer makes the calls. NT customers will now have to deposit a minimum of Rs 200 to use the PSTN service. Baidhya said PSTN customers could fix their credit limit themselves from now on.
In case a subscriber uses total credit before the month ends and the phone network is disconnected, Baidhya said PSTN customers could top up their balance using NT recharge cards or e-banking services. However, NT will have the system that could alert customers when they are about to exceed their credit limit. NT officials said PSTN customers would have to renew their credit on the first day of the Nepali month.
NT’s statistics show that there are almost 600,000 customers of PSTN service of the company.
Meanwhile, NT has also urged its landline customers to dial 197 for additional information about the new system and give feedback.
