Current ICT Infrastructure of Nepal and Introduction of NREN

1. Current ICT Infrastructure of Nepal and Introduction of NREN Prashant Manandhar Nepal Research & Education Network (NREN). Prime College 22nd APAN, Singapore 17th – 21st July 2006

2. Overview of Nepal • Area: 147,797 Sq. Km • Population in million: 27.05 • Rural Population: 75.5% • Key Economic Sectors: • Agriculture and Tourism • Literacy in English: 18% • Computer ownership per 100 inhabitants: 2.80 • Telephone lines per 100 inhabitants: 3.5 • Internet users per 100 inhabitants: 1.80 • National bandwidth capacity within the country: 1000:1000 Mbps • National average bandwidth at NPIX: 18~25 Mpbs • International bandwidth 100:55 Mbps

3. Human Resource Development in ICT

4. Present Status of ICTInternet Status • Total Number of Internet Users – 350,000 • Number of ISPs – 26 • Number of VSAT Network Service Providers – 8 • East-West Highway Fiber Optics, in process for connection with Indian ISP, Next Phase to China. • Start of Wireless Internet Service – 2000 • Start of Wireless boradband Service - 2003 • Establishment of Nepal Internet Exchange (npIX) – August 2002 • Start of Cable Internet Service – 2004 • Ethernet to home Internet - 2005

5. Present Status of ICTICT Infrastructure and Services • Telephone Service Providers – 3(NTC, UTL,STM) • PSTN Fixed Line Telephones – 450000 • Mobile Phone Service Provider – 3 (NTC, Spice Nepal, UTL) • Mobile Phone Subscribers GSM & CDMA – ~550000 • Data not upto-date, as all providers are rapidly expanding • Number of Fax Mail Service Providers – 6 • Number of Satellite Telephone Service Providers – 2 • Number of Radio Paging Service Providers – 3 • Number of Local Data Network Service Providers – 1 • Radio broadcast stations: SW 1,MW 6, FM 22, (Radios: 2,800,000, costs < $1). • Television broadcast stations: 5 (Televisions: 400,000)

6. Government Initiatives for ICT • Establishment of HLCIT: 2003 “High Level Commission Information Technology” - An apex body formed toprovide strategic direction and to help formulate appropriate policy responses for the development of ICT sector. • Passed Cyber Law • Standardization of Nepali Fonts • Establishment of Rural Tele-centers • Construction of ‘IT Park’

7. Introduction NREN • “There is neither sufficient facility available in the country for advance research and development in ICT and in other important subjects nor any formal research and education network exists in the country so that available resources in the globe can be access efficiently. Due to the lack of research infrastructure people are compelled to go abroad for research work and significant numbers of people are flying day to day. Government, non-government, private organizations and individuals have been spending huge budget for research and higher education. Moreover, majority of such people never come back to the country. It has great impact in country’s economy as well as human resource development for country’s overall development”. • Nepal Research and Education Network (NREN) has been established as a facilitator to support for advanced research and education network through the means of Information and Communication Technology and as a knowledge center to support good ICT initiatives and researcher in the country. This entity has been established as a non-profit network under the Prime College, affiliated to Tribhuwan National University, collaboration with various organizations.NREN Details , www.nren.net.np

8. NREN Formulation • Prime College to act as secretariat www.prime.edu.np Partners Include • National Education Institutes • National Internet Exchange • Industry association • Interested Educationists and Individuals

9. National Partners • Tribhuwan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. • Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk • Healthnet, Institute of Medicine, Maharajgunj • Central Library, Kirtipur, TU • Central Depart of Computer Science, TU • Central Department of Management, TU • Kathmandu University, • Kathmandu College of Management, Kathmandu • Nepal Internet Exchange Point (NPIX) • Industry Bodies • ISP Association of Nepal • Other Projects • Nepal Wireless Project, Nagi Village. • Madan Puraskar Pustakalay & NepaLinux

10. Current NREN Activity • Application for Wireless Network project(www.nepalwireless.net) ; Voice and Data Monitoring System as follows: • There has been a phone lines terminating at Pokhara (195 KM from KTM). These phones are using as SIP phones to connect to different villages via the WI-FI devices. (The main station is 60 KM line of sight from Pokhara). • The monitoring system has been developed for each phone locations. A Linux based machine and open source application has been use for making the monitoring system. • E-learning for higher education at the villages in local language, Intranet Portal. • Mesh Wireless Networking will be implementing very soon. • IT Troubleshooting knowledgebase information system in local Nepali language.

11. Current ICT infrastructure at Proposed NREN NOC • Network Link and WS • Internet link through Motorola Canopy Wireless Modem (5.2 GHz Spectrum) from local ISP WLINK, to be migrated to fiber by December, 2006. • Local Bandwidth - : 5 Mbps/5 Mbps (downlink / uplink) • International Bandwidth - :192kbps/128kbps (downlink/uplink) Servers – 2 Routers: Cisco 1751 Series - 1 Switch (24-port 10/100 Base – T Catalyst 2950 ) : 2

12. Current IT infrastructure for NREN For Research and training Labs: • Routers: Cisco 1750 : 2 • Routers: Cisco 1700 Series : 20 • CISCO Catalyst 2950 Switch (24-port Fast Ethernet) : 8 • Servers • Linux and FreeBSD Server Systems: 2 • Windows 2003 Intranet Server : 1 • Normal PCs and Workstations using Windows, Linux - 11 • Wireless Networking Experiment Center This lab is used for research, demonstration and testing of advanced networks and latest technologies by Local ISPs, NPIX and researchers. We are happy to receive used medium to higher end routers and other equipment.

13. Future Plan for NREN • To set up IT infrastructure to connect all universities / institutions and campuses within Nepal. • Problem to be addressed; the bandwidth. • Local ISPs ready to provide unused local capacity for NREN Use at discounted rates. • Need to fund all the hardware. Need switches and Routers • To deliver increased opportunities for collaboration in research. • To facilitate transfer of technology between academic and research institutions. • Extranet

14. Contribute and Support:Nepal Wireless Project; • 1997 started in one village (Himanchal Higher Secondary School, Nangi village). • Introduced the Information technology to villagers, most of whom had never seen computers until a few years ago. Most of the villagers still have no idea as what the uses of the computers and Internet are. • Nangi village is located in north west of Nepal on the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges of the Himalayas. Reaching Nangi usually requires two to three days of traveling from Nepal’s capital city, Kathmandu. From Kathmandu, it is a seven hour bus ride or 35 minute plane trip to Pokhara, the second largest city in Nepal. The elevation of Nangi village is about 2,260 m. (7,345 ft). • Target group is the people living in the remote villages of Nepal, where villagers have no means of modern communication means.

15. Contribute and Support:Nepal Wireless Project;

16. Contribute and Support:Nepal Wireless Project;

17. Contribute and Support:Nepal Wireless Project; • The villagers are learning the use of the computers and local area network, very interestingly. • This network mostly for communication purposes since the network is the only means of communication available. The people from the networked villages can send and receive their messages through e-mails using their web mail accounts or through NetMeeting and IP Phones. Also, the teachers and students are getting access to some educational materials that we have put in the intranet now. E- commerce; The management committee and the staff of the projects working of cross-breeding program between yaks and cows. • Now, Has been networked 12 villages.

20. Thank you!prashant@prime.edu.npmanandhar_prashant@yahoo.com