Free Wi-Fi Now Available at 19 Public Locations in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU, Nov 5:
Free Wi-Fi services have been launched at 19 public locations across Kathmandu as part of the government’s initiative to provide free internet access throughout the Kathmandu Valley.

The project was implemented following the first decision made by Minister for Communications and Information Technology Jagadish Kharel after taking office on September 22, with the goal of offering free internet in all public areas within two months.

According to the Ministry of Communications, the new Wi-Fi facilities have been installed in major public zones, including Tribhuvan International Airport, Pashupatinath Temple, and several hospitals and government service centers.

Existing Wi-Fi systems have been upgraded to improve speed and reliability, while eight new locations have been added and three more are currently under construction.

New free Wi-Fi networks are being installed at Kathmandu’s New Bus Park, Bhaktapur Hospital, Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, Kirtipur Hospital, and Tribhuvan International Airport. Expansion work is also underway at the Thulobharyang, Ekantakuna, and Radhe Radhe Transport Offices.

The service is being provided through a collaboration between Nepal Telecom, WorldLink, and Vianet, who have signed agreements with the government to ensure reliable and sustainable operations. The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has been coordinating with these ISPs to oversee implementation.

According to the NTA, bandwidth capacity at major hospitals—such as Bir Hospital, Paropkar Maternity and Gynecology Hospital, TU Teaching Hospital (Maharajgunj), Teku Hospital, Kanti Children’s Hospital, Gangalal Heart Center, Civil Hospital, National Trauma Center, Patan Hospital, and the Pashupatinath Temple area—has been upgraded from 10 Mbps to 150 Mbps, with device-level capacity expanded from 100 MB to 500 MB.

Nepal Telecom has also prepared an action plan to extend free Wi-Fi coverage to 35 airports nationwide, including Tribhuvan International Airport. Additionally, six access points have been installed at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital and five at Kirtipur Hospital.

The ministry further announced plans to expand the initiative to 10 cities outside the Kathmandu Valley.

A monitoring team led by Minister Kharel will inspect the free Wi-Fi services at the New Bus Park, TU Teaching Hospital, Pashupatinath area, and Tribhuvan International Airport from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday to ensure effective operation and service quality.