The two telecom companies in the country, Bhutan Telecom and TashiCell will install 16 additional towers in Samtse district as a measure to improve connectivity. Last week, the two companies announced the decision in the Dzongkhag Tshogdu after local government leaders expressed people’s concerns of poor network coverage in several gewogs.
The Norboogang Gup, Kinga Wangdi, raised the issue of poor mobile network coverage. He said people in Khangduzhi_Kyidsa and Lambi_Lamjosa chiwogs could not connect calls properly on both Bmobile and TashiCell.
“It is not that they have not worked. They do have a tower installed, but the network coverage is poor. We wanted to discuss this in the Dzongkhag Tshogdu, last summer but the DT could not convene due to the pandemic,” he said.
Local leaders shared that poor internet connectivity has severely impacted students taking online classes last year. The gups shared that many students flocked the gewog centres to access internet service, while others walked to other villages with a proper internet connection.
“Online studies were impacted. That is why facilities given to rural people are not at par with urban dwellers. So, that is why we at the local government think people leave rural areas for better facilities in the town areas,” the Norboogang Gup added.
“The villages far from the gewog centre have network connectivity problems. Villages like Damji, Poongthra, and Ben-yekha don’t have proper connectivity to both Bmobile and TashiCell,” said Chandraman Bhandari, the Denchhukha Gup.
The regional managers of Bhutan Telecom and TashiCell both informed the Dzongkhag Tshogdu that works are underway to improve network connectivity in Samtse.
“This year, our expansion work is not limited to one chiwog. We have 10 chiwogs where the connectivity is poor. So, as soon as we are done with land demarcation with the land registrar’s office, we will contract out the tower erection works. We expect the towers to be fully functional by September,” said Damcho Wangchuk, the Manager of Bhutan Telecom in Samtse.
The 10 new Bmobile towers will cover various chiwogs in eight gewogs. TashiCell will also add six additional towers in six gewogs by the end of the year.
Sherub Dorji, Samtse
