KATHMANDU: A fresh controversy has erupted in Nepal’s telecom sector after Bhupendra Bhandari, chairman of the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, reportedly refused to implement a spectrum allocation decision despite having signed the official meeting minutes approving it.

According to multiple sources linked to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and the telecom regulator, Bhandari has challenged the government by refusing to enforce a decision made by the Radio Frequency Policy Determination Committee regarding additional spectrum allocation in the 800 MHz band.

The committee had approved the allocation of 2×5 MHz spectrum through an auction process to improve the quality of 4G services in Nepal. Sources said Bhandari signed the meeting minutes as a committee member. However, after the ministry forwarded the decision for implementation, he allegedly informed Communications Minister Dr. Bikram Timilsina that he would not enforce it.

Sources claim the dispute centers on the fact that under the current market situation, only Nepal Telecom would qualify to receive the additional spectrum. Bhandari reportedly argued that implementing the decision would unfairly favor a single operator and described the process as “biased.”

One source said Bhandari initially resisted signing the minutes and agreed only after representatives from the Finance, Home, Defense, and Communications ministries had signed them. Even then, he reportedly delayed approval before eventually signing under pressure.

The issue has also exposed tensions between the regulator and Nepal Telecom over unpaid dues linked to spectrum previously used in the 2300 MHz band. According to sources, the regulator argues that Nepal Telecom must clear outstanding payments before receiving additional spectrum.

Nepal Telecom, however, has maintained that it had already returned the unused spectrum allocated for WiMAX services and therefore does not owe any pending fees. The company reportedly convinced senior ministry officials of its position, further escalating the dispute with the regulator.

Sources said the government had prioritized the spectrum allocation as part of its telecom reform agenda aimed at improving 4G service quality. However, despite the official decision, uncertainty remains over when -or whether-the allocation will actually be implemented.