--- title: "Telecommunication definition and Nepal's history since 1913" subject: "Telecommunications" chapter: 1 key: "semester_8/telecommunications:telecom-nepal-history-1913" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/telecommunications/telecom-nepal-history-1913 site: BCT Engineering --- # Telecommunication definition and Nepal's history since 1913 Telecommunications · Chapter 1: Telecommunication Networks - Asked in: 2074 Asoj, 8 marks; 2074 Chaitra, 8 marks (asked 2 times) - Video: [नेपालमा कसले ल्यायो ईन्टरनेट ? || Telecommunication History Nepal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NC-uhA8BKk) — Subash Shrestha - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/telecommunications/telecom-nepal-history-1913 - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_8/telecommunications/chapter-1 ## Question What is Telecommunication according to CCITU, Geneva 1992? Experts say that Telecommunication is not a sporadic creation. It has come through an evolutionary process. Explain the historical background of telecommunication in Nepal since 1913 A.D. ## Short answer ITU defines telecommunication as transmission of signs, signals, images, or sounds by wire, radio, optical or electromagnetic systems. Nepal's history: first telephone line in 1913, manual exchange in 1935, automatic exchange in 1962, NTC in 1975, satellite earth station in 1982, GSM in 1999, and 3G/4G later. ## Answer #### Definition (ITU, Geneva 1992) According to the Constitution of the International Telecommunication Union (Geneva, 1992), **telecommunication** is *any transmission, emission or reception of signs, signals, writings, images and sounds or intelligence of any nature by wire, radio, optical or other electromagnetic systems*. #### Telecommunication as an evolutionary process Telecom did not appear suddenly; each technology was built on the earlier one: telegraph (1837) → telephone (1876) → manual exchange (1878) → Strowger automatic exchange (1892) → wireless/radio (Marconi, 1895–1901) → crossbar → electronic SPC (1965) → digital switching and PCM → satellites, optical fibre → mobile, Internet and IP networks. Nepal also followed this path, step by step. #### Historical background in Nepal since 1913 AD | Year (AD) | Milestone | |---|---| | 1913 | First telephone line in Nepal, in Kathmandu (Rana rulers' palaces/offices); telephone era begins | | 1935 | Manual (magneto) telephone exchange of about 100 lines in Kathmandu | | 1950–55 | HF radio links to other countries and districts; telephone opened to the public (about 1955) | | 1962 | First automatic telephone exchange (about 1,000 lines) in Kathmandu | | 1964–71 | International telex and radio links; Telecommunication Development Board formed | | 1975 | Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC) established | | 1982 | Satellite earth station at Sanga (Kathmandu) for international calls (INTELSAT) | | 1980s–90s | Digital SPC exchanges, east–west microwave backbone | | 1995–96 | Internet services start (private ISPs) | | 1997 | Telecommunication Act 2053 (BS) comes into force | | 1998 | Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) formed as regulator | | 1999 | GSM mobile service by NTC | | 2004 | NTC becomes Nepal Doorsanchar Company Ltd (Nepal Telecom) | | 2005 | Private GSM operator Spice Nepal/Mero Mobile (later Ncell) | | 2007–2010s | 3G (Nepal Telecom, 2007), optical fibre backbone, 4G LTE (2017), FTTH broadband | #### Key phases - **Early phase (1913–1955):** telephones only for the Rana government and palace; manual magneto exchanges; HF radio for long distance. - **Public service (1955–1975):** automatic exchange in Kathmandu (1962), telex and trunk links; telecom handled by a government department/board. - **Corporation phase (1975–2004):** NTC built the microwave backbone, satellite earth station and digital exchanges, and started GSM (1999). - **Liberalisation (1997 onward):** the Telecommunication Act 2053 and NTA opened the sector to private operators (Ncell, UTL, ISPs), and Nepal Telecom became a public company (2004). - **Broadband era (2007–now):** 3G/4G, fibre backbone, FTTH and widespread mobile Internet. (Dates of early events are as commonly given in Nepal Telecom's history; small differences exist between sources.) ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. Telecommunication in the ITU (Geneva 1992) definition is A. Any transmission, emission or reception of signs, signals, writings, images and sounds by wire, radio, optical or other electromagnetic systems B. Only the transmission of voice over telephone wires C. Only transmission by radio and satellite D. The exchange of printed messages by post and telegraph offices Answer: A. The ITU definition is technology-neutral and covers all kinds of information over any electromagnetic system. (Key point: ITU definition) 2. What characterised the early phase (1913-1955) of telecom in Nepal? A. Mobile GSM service for the public B. Telephones only for the Rana government and palace, with manual magneto exchanges C. Digital SPC exchanges and a microwave backbone D. Private operators competing under a regulator Answer: B. In 1913-1955 telephone use was restricted to the rulers, using manual exchanges and HF radio. (Key point: Early phase) 3. The first automatic telephone exchange in Kathmandu (about 1,000 lines) came in A. 1935 B. 1975 C. 1962 D. 1999 Answer: C. The automatic exchange of 1962 marked the public service phase; the manual exchange was 1935. (Key point: Automatic exchange) 4. What opened the Nepali telecom sector to private operators? A. Establishment of the Sanga satellite earth station B. The first telephone line in 1913 C. The introduction of 3G in 2010 D. Telecommunication Act 2053 and the Nepal Telecommunications Authority Answer: D. The Act (1997) and the NTA regulator (1998) allowed private operators such as Ncell and ISPs. (Key point: Liberalisation) ## Related in Telecommunications - [CCITU definition, switching classes and Nepal history](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Ftelecommunications%3Accitu-definition-switching-nepal) — Telecommunications, chapter 1 - [Short note: Telecom development in Nepal since 1913](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Ftelecommunications%3Ashort-note-nepal-telecom-development) — Telecommunications, chapter 1