The residents of Bji-Semji in Nubi Gewog, Trongsa are now connected with 4G mobile network. The news came as a delight to about 80 households in the gewog. They lived with poor internet connectivity until now. Bhutan Telecom office in the district installed a new tower at Bjeezam in the beginning of this month.
The residents of Bjizam, Bjipam, Bjitrong and Semji areas had to travel for hours in the past to reach a place with better internet connectivity.
“The mobile network is now very strong even in the bedrooms of Bji villages,” said Pema Dhendup, a resident of Bjitrong village.
“With the 4G tower installed here, we do not have to use Wi-Fi also,” said Pema Namgyal, a hotelier at Bjizam.
Chenga Dawa, the Principal of Bjizam Primary School said the 4G connectivity will enable the school to conduct activities online. “For the past nine years, all online activities of school such as attending online meeting was not possible from here. We had to travel to Trongsa.”
“It has also eased the online banking services such as the MBoB,” said Sonam Lhamo, a shopkeeper at Bji.
“We can now learn and watch anything on parent’s cell phone. Our parents did not have such opportunities in the past,” said Sonam Wangmo, a student of Bjizam Primary School.
Bhutan Telecom’s branch manager in Trongsa, Kinlay Tshering, said the installation of four additional towers is in the pipeline. The towers will be installed at Mangdephu, Langthil Dangdung, Ngada, and at Nyimzhong chiwog of Korphu Gewog.
The company is installing each of these towers at a cost of about Nu 4 M.
“The budget to install four towers next year is also approved. Even the material requisitions are ready. And after the installation of such towers, lives of the people of few villages and chiwog currently without 4G network would be made easier,” said the branch Manager.
Bhutan Telecom plans to connect all gewogs in Trongsa with 4G network by next year.
Passang, Trongsa
Edited by Phub Gyem
