State-owned operator Nepal Telecom has delayed plans to launch a 5G trial this month due to a lack of compatible smartphones in Nepal, according to reports.
Nepal Telecom spokesman Shobhan Adhikari said that only a "small number" of devices in Nepal are compatible and can access the 2,600 MHz frequency. The operator received permission from the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to try out 5G on that frequency and has already installed the equipment for the trial.
The test has not been cancelled, as the operator will take up to three weeks to "determine the number of 5G-enabled mobile devices and other devices" before continuing with the test.
Nepal Telecom initially set November as the month to launch the test, but delays occurred as Nepal's general elections took time away from company officials.
The first phase of the trial is scheduled to take place in the Sundhara and Babarmahal districts of Kathmandu. Trials will be conducted in each of the seven provinces.
According to the Kathmandu Post, rival operator Ncell, a subsidiary of Yatong, applied to conduct its own 5G trials in the country.
Nepal Telecom, Ncell and Smart Telecom had a total of 27.55 million 3G and 4G subscribers in mid-September last year, according to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority.
