Telecom authority decides to recover over Rs8 billion in dues from UTL

Nepal Telecommunications Authority has decided to recover about Rs8.05 billion in outstanding dues from United Telecom Limited (UTL) as government arrears.

The authority made this public at a press conference on Thursday while disclosing decisions it had made during the month of Bhadra.

According to authority spokesperson Min Prasad Aryal, UTL's license for basic telephone service was automatically revoked from Bhadra 20, 2083.

The authority said the license was cancelled under the Telecommunications Act, 2053 and Telecommunications Regulations, 2054.

The outstanding dues include amounts payable under headings such as frequency fees, royalty and the Rural Telecommunications Development Fund.

The authority also decided to take control of the company's movable and immovable assets, telecom infrastructure, systems and network, and to proceed with a valuation process.

Spokesperson Aryal said the authority has requested Nepal Rastra Bank and other agencies to freeze UTL's bank accounts and its movable and immovable assets.