Chinese SIM cards used for internet access in Hilsa

By Rajan Rawat, Humla, July 28: Locals on the Nepali side of Hilsa, a border settlement along the Nepal-China frontier, are compelled to use Chinese SIM cards to access the internet due to the absence of Nepal Telecom's internet service in the area.

As Nepal Telecom has yet to provide internet connectivity, locals, security personnel and government employees have no option but to pay high charges for internet services through Chinese mobile networks.

Ram Raj Jaisi, chief of the Yari Border Customs Office, said Nepalis in the Hilsa border area have been relying on Chinese SIM cards for internet access.

He said Nepal Telecom has so far failed to provide the required service, forcing users to bear the high cost of using Chinese SIM cards.

“Chinese SIM cards have become essential not only for personal use but also for official work,” he said.

More than 100 Chinese SIM cards are currently being used in Hilsa by security personnel, government employees, hotel operators and locals.

Local trader Sonam Lama said a passport is required to obtain a Chinese SIM card. After presenting a passport, an individual can purchase a SIM card in China and bring it to Hilsa for use.

He said obtaining a new SIM card has become a complicated and expensive process, making it difficult for many people to acquire one.

Some locals continue using older SIM cards, leaving them in Hilsa during the winter months. When they return, the service charges accumulated during the period of inactivity must be paid as outstanding dues. Because of the high cost, internet access is not affordable for everyone in Hilsa.

Tashi Lhazom, a central committee member of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), who recently visited the border area, said locals have no choice but to pay high fees for internet services.

She said the 2G tower installed by Nepal Telecom at Nara Lake to serve Hilsa does not even provide reliable mobile network coverage, leaving residents with no alternative but to rely on Chinese SIM cards for internet access.

According to her, residents of Hilsa spend between Rs. 4,000 and Rs. 5,000 per month on internet services through Chinese SIM cards.

People in the border settlement have been facing this problem for the past seven to eight years.