Best Internet Service Providers (ISP) in Nepal 2023 [Updated]

In this article, I’ll be talking about the best internet service providers (ISPs) in Nepal. But please allow me to make a proper introduction first.

The internet has become an integral part of our modern-day life. So much so, that even the UN says internet access is a human right. From business requirements to personal entertainment to just basic digital socialization, our dependence on the web has rendered our lives into interconnected bliss; though I’d imagine many don’t share the same belief.

And with growing infrastructure, affordability, & subsequent accessibility, the total number of people connected to the web will only go uphill.

According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), global internet users grew by 10% during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is by far the largest year-on-year increase in the last decade. With this, 63% out of 7.8 billion people are now connected to the internet.

Internet usage growth trampled in Nepal by the price hikes

Unfortunately, while internet usage has grown over the years in Nepal as well, its cost remains a big issue. In a country like ours where the GDP per capita is just a little over a thousand USD, the government decided to levy an additional 13% Telecommunications Service Charge (TSC) on top of the 13% VAT and 4% royalty fees.

As a result, a 2021 report from the A4AI (Alliance 4 Affordable Internet) places Nepal in the 37th position (among 72 low and middle-income countries); which is not that great. Then there’s the dilemma of selecting the correct ISP for you.

Recent speed war

It all began when CG Net debuted with 120Mbps internet plans for residential users. This compelled other ISPs to offer more competitive plans. Today, it’s normal for Nepali ISPs to promise bandwidth higher than 100Mbps, which was not the case a year ago. ISPs like ClassicTech and Worldlink even offer 1Gbps internet plans to residential users.

Taking a different route, a brand new ISP WiFi Nepal has emerged with low-bandwidth plans with an affordable price tag. However, we are yet to test it for ourselves.

It’s not uncommon for ISPs in Nepal to come up with mouth-watering plans only for it to dismiss other crucial aspects like speed consistency, service level, support, and customer satisfaction. Most of them are not even transparent about their FUP policy.

Disclaimer: The “perfect” ISP is a myth

But before you go on scratching your head questioning the absolute best ISP in Nepal, let me tell you one thing: there isn’t one. What I mean is that there isn’t one objectively correct answer to the question “which is the best ISP in Nepal?” It mostly boils down to where you’re located. An ISP may have excellent service & positive customer references in one area and that may not reciprocate to other regions.

So, be sure to consult your neighbors on their internet subscription (if possible) before making your decision. With that out of the way, let’s take a look at our list of some of the best Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Nepal.

One more thing (I know I’ve already dragged the intro but please bear with me here), We’re listing out internet plans from different ISPs for home/residential customers; and all the prices are exclusive of VAT. Also, though the internet plans of these ISPs may have the “unlimited” label suffixed to them, all of these have FUP restrictions. However, each company’s FUP policy is different.

Best Internet Service Providers (ISP) in Nepal:

1. Worldlink

According to the latest Management Information System (MIS) report by the Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA), Worldlink (FTTH) alone has a user base of more than 752,573. This makes it the largest ISP and the third-largest telecommunications firm in Nepal.

It marked 25 years of service back in 2020. The journey began with the introduction of the e-mail service in 1995, and the company has accomplished a lot in these years.

Worldlink signed a $12 million contract with the UK’s CDC Group in October 2019 to expand the company’s facilities and operation in rural parts of Nepal.

Furthermore, in partnership with Facebook, Worldlink provides free Wi-Fi and “my Worldlink” Wi-Fi (exclusive to Worldlink users) in over 10,000 locations throughout Nepal. Currently, there are over 14,000 of these Wi-Fi hotspots across Nepal.

Moreover, the organization intends to extend the operation to 30,000 locations. It currently offers network coverage in 73 districts, including the most remote areas of Karnali.

Worldlink currently offers residential fiber internet plans with up to 300Gbps of bandwidth. You get 1 year of internet connection, and an option to expand the coverage area with Mesh Wi-Fi. Other than this, the ISP also introduced a ‘PUBG Gamer’s Pack’ for those battle royale action lovers. The package is available in two internet speeds: 250Mbps and 300Mbps while costing the same as the regular residential plans.

None of these packages come bundled with a NetTV standard connection. So, you have to purchase it separately as an add-on package.

myWorldlink App

Apart from that, the “myWorldlink” app is useful for tracking internet usage, reporting problems, changing Wi-Fi passwords, and so on. With the latest update, the app now has a troubleshooting feature as well. 

Other than this, every plan also comes with the following features:

• 2रुन्तै: Worldlink promises to solve your internet-related issue within two hours. If not, users will get two days of internet for free. 
• SafeNet: To monitor the usage and filter, block out any malicious contents on the web
• Time Back: Compensation against interrupted service due to internet outage or other reasons
• WiFi Mobility: As aforementioned, it is a partnership with Facebook Connectivity using its Express Wi-Fi platform to provide more than 14,000 hotspots across Nepal.

Worldlink Residential and PUBG Gamer’s Pack Broadband: Plans & Pricing

There are also other additional charges for new customers which include:

You can even opt for a Mesh Wi-Fi system with options to add more Beacon routers in addition to the main router. Worldlink provides Nokia Beacon 1.1 and Beacon 3.0 routers as per plans.

2. Nepal Telecom FTTH

Surprisingly, we have dear old Nepal Telecom’s own FTTH internet bagging the second spot. Though people threw major shade at its notoriously slow ADSL-based internet services, believe it or not, there have been some positives to NT’s FTTH service.

Nepal Telecom has 276,928 users subscribed to its Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) internet plan. The number has been on the rise since the first lockdown. For reference, NT recorded 60,000 new users in the first 10 months of lockdown.  

NT FTTH is now available in 77 different locations across different districts, with speeds ranging from 25Mbps to 80Mbps under different plans and packages. To lure more users, these internet plans come bundled with NTTV and telephone service. 

Nepal Telecom FTTH Individual (Internet + TV + telephone): Plan and Pricing

Nepal Telecom FTTH Individual (No TV): Plan and Pricing

Nepal Telecom PREMIUM INTERNET PACKAGE (No FUP, No NetTV)

Nepal Telecom PREMIUM INTERNET PACKAGE (No FUP, With NetTV)

Now, let’s look at the additional tariffs of Nepal Telecom on the first-time installation:

3. Classic Tech

Classic Tech has moved to the third position with a user base of 270,033. The ISP arrived late to the speed war but with a bang. It launched Tachyon plans in 2021 to counter Worldlink Photon plans with a maximum bandwidth of up to 1Gbps. The company even provides Huawei Wi-Fi 6 router in collaboration with Huawei under the Platinum Tachyon plans.

Classic Tech Home: Plans & Pricing

Provided below are the one-time charges for first-time users:

The new Tachyon packages even support the Mesh Wi-Fi system. Following is the charge associated with each additional Mesh router in each package.

4. Vianet

Vianet is now ranked fourth among the biggest ISPs in Nepal. Nepal Telecom and Classic Tech have shown greater growth in their customer base than Vianet in recent times. That being said, a large number of people are still subscribed to Vianet. Its FTTH service has a strong foothold, especially in Kathmandu Valley with a lot of satisfied home & corporate users.

Because of these reasons, you may have seen many polls on the internet declaring Vianet as one of the best internet service providers in Nepal. Yet, the company hasn’t managed to expand to other regions of the country as effectively as the competition.

Despite its tag as one of the largest ISPs in Nepal, Vianet hasn’t been able to expand its business in several districts of Nepal. The company is currently operational in 28 districts, the remotest being in Darchula, Khalanga.

Anyway, Vianet now provides its own ViaTV & VoD (Video on Demand) services.

Vianet Ultra-Fi: Plans & Pricing

 

There are also other additional charges for new customers which include:

ViaTV Tariff

5. Subisu

Subisu is another household name when it comes to digital TV & internet services in Nepal. It was established in 2001 and Subisu is the only cable operator in Nepal to be ISO 9001:2015 and 27001:2013 certified. That should speak volumes in itself.

While it had a total of 225,596 fiber internet subscribers the last time we updated our list, the company has managed to increase its subscriber base count to 255,394. There could be a number of reasons for this growth.

First off, the company has introduced new plans like Subhakamana, Tezz Full, and Jhakkas in an effort to remain relevant in the market. And, their website which was difficult to navigate in the past, has gotten better now. However, we still think it can get even better. For example, it’s still hard to get prices of 6-month and 12-month plans from Subisu.

You can opt for fiber internet with or without Clear TV here. Yet, the bandwidth on the internet subscription without TV is less than that with TV.

Subisu Technology and types of internet connections

In terms of technology, Subisu offers two: fiber, & wireless internet services. Here, a fiber-based internet connection is one through fiber-optic lines, whereas wireless broadband is achieved based on radio frequencies (without cable).

Among the two, fiber-optic is the optimal choice in most regards like connection quality, security, & total cost.

On the contrary, wireless internet can be a good option for those looking for quick installation & the ability to access hotspots; all at the sacrifice of signal strength & network security.

But if you want to subscribe to wireless internet from Subisu, you should know that the company only provides this service outside of Kathmandu Valley. Similarly, with wireless internet, you can not opt for Clear TV installation.

Subisu FTTH Home Internet: Plans & Pricing

Now let’s look at the total charge for first-time installation for annual subscribers:

	Internet Only	Internet + TV
Wire Charge	Rs. 531
ONU Activation Charge	Rs. 1504
Installation Charge	FREE (for annual subscription)
STB Activation (Primary)	N/A	FREE (for annual subscription)

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6. DishHome Fibernet

DishHome is a relatively new name in Nepal’s ISP industry. The company launched its Fibernet plans in 2020 from Kathmandu and is currently in the stage of expansion. DishHome Fibernet benefits from the existing distribution network of DishHome’s DTH TV.

Unlike any other ISPs in this list of best internet service providers in Nepal, DishHome Fibernet provides users with the choice between IPTV and DTH TV. The latter uses satellite signals, thus, saving your valuable bandwidth.

DishHome Fibernet: Plan and Pricing

7. Web Surfer

Web Surfer is back in the news at the 7th spot with 147,447 subscribers as per the latest reports. The company was founded in 1999 and began with Radio Modems for corporates. Likewise, it started the Intranetr Connectivity services in Kathmandu in the year 2008. Cable internet service commenced in 2014 along with Cable TV.

It is commendable for Websurfer to be named among the Top ISPs in Nepal. Credit goes to its attractive packages at cheaper rates than the competition. It currently offers fiber net alongside TV combo packages.

Best Internet Service Providers (ISP) in Nepal 2023 (Summary)

As we mentioned in the beginning, there’s no one right answer when it comes to answering the question “which is the best ISP in Nepal?” So, this listing is entirely based on each company’s subscriber volume instead.

Final words

So that was it for our list of the best internet service providers (ISP) in Nepal. To re-iterate—once again—there isn’t a single best option among them, and your location is definitely a major factor defining their performance. But obviously, ISPs like Worldlink & Vianet offer a wider range of services with their internet subscription.

And that may be of great significance to userbase like families & such. Therefore, it is necessary to determine your usage volume and conduct proper research about the particular ISP’s reputation in your community before going for it.