Telecom, IT and fintech

Nepal11 Oct, 3:05 pm · 5 min read

Nepal's QR payments more than double in three years, central bank data show

QR transactions hit 72 million in the first month of FY 2026/27 and wallet users reached 28.3 million, as festival gifts move to phones.

For you: These volumes are a systems-engineering load: tens of millions of transactions a month need reliable servers, low-latency switching, fraud detection and secure apps. Nepal's payment companies and bank IT departments employ computer engineers to build, run and secure these systems. Students learning databases, networking and security can see where those skills are used at home. The fast growth of QR compared with wallets also shows how interoperable standards can shift a market quickly.

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Nepal11 Oct, 2:36 pm · 5 min read

Nepal's telecom regulator readies more 5G spectrum, starting with 800 MHz

NTA issued bidding papers for the 800 MHz band and says 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz come next, while operators question the business case.

For you: Spectrum bands decide antenna design, cell size and how many base stations a network needs, which is core BEI material in communication systems and RF engineering. The 3500 MHz band in particular means dense small cells and more fibre backhaul, which creates installation, planning and optimisation work. For BCT students, 5G matters mainly through edge computing and low-latency services. Until auctions actually happen, though, commercial 5G in Nepal remains a plan rather than a product.

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Nepal11 Oct, 1:54 pm · 5 min read

Nepal Rastra Bank sets out a five-year fintech strategy

The central bank's payments department published a 2026/27 to 2030/31 framework to widen digital financial services and level the field for fintechs.

For you: Payments in Nepal now run largely on mobile banking, wallets and QR codes, and the central bank's direction decides what fintech companies may build. A strategy that stresses secure systems, regulatory technology and interoperability points to demand for software engineers who understand security, APIs and compliance. BCT students who want to work in banking technology or payment startups should watch for the detailed directives, because those will set the actual technical requirements.

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Nepal11 Oct, 1:48 pm · 6 min read

Nepal's UTL telecom licence lapses with about Rs 31 billion unpaid

United Telecom missed its 4 September renewal deadline; the regulator now plans to freeze its assets and recover around Rs 8 billion.

For you: Telecom is a capital-heavy business where spectrum and licence fees can sink an operator, and this case shows that financial side of network engineering. Frequencies returned to the state can later be re-auctioned, which changes how much spectrum other operators can use. For BEI and BCT students thinking about telecom careers, it is a reminder that Nepal's market is effectively two operators, Nepal Telecom and Ncell, and that jobs follow their investment plans.

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Nepal11 Oct, 1:42 pm · 5 min read

IT firms make up two-thirds of new foreign investment pledges in Nepal

Of 1,116 projects with foreign investment commitments in FY 2025/26, 727 were in IT, though IT drew only about Rs 2.83 billion of the money.

For you: Most of these foreign-backed IT ventures are small, and the work they take on is software and services work that can be done from Nepal. That is a direct, near-term job market for BCT students and for BEI students with programming skills. The average pledge is small, so the jobs are spread across many companies rather than a few large employers. Students can improve their chances by building portfolios, version-control habits and client communication skills while still in college.

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Nepal11 Oct, 1:24 pm · 5 min read

Ncell uses low-orbit satellite links in Nuwakot where fibre was cut

With NTA approval, Ncell set up Eutelsat LEO satellite Wi-Fi points in Nuwakot as fibre and towers were being rebuilt.

For you: Low-orbit satellite links are now a practical backup when fibre and towers fail, and they bring topics from satellite communication, link budgets and network design into everyday use. For BEI students, the setup shows how satellite backhaul, Wi-Fi access points and power supply combine into a field kit. It also shows the regulatory side: in Nepal, satellite service still needs case-by-case approval, which shapes who can offer it and where.

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