While unlimited late-night data plans offered by the two telecommunications company in the country have been there for some time, their benefits and drawbacks remain a highly contested subject. While the Bhutan InfoComm and Media Authority (BICMA) says the benefits outweigh the risks, people are calling for a rethink.
In the silent hours of night, when most are asleep, a quiet surge of activity begins: phone screens light up and apps become active as data flows freely. The unlimited data plans offered from 1 AM to 7 AM are fueling this midnight awakening.
While it is mostly availed by the youth, not everyone is convinced about its benefits.
Former Economic Affairs Minister Loknath Sharma recently called on the telecom companies to reconsider these plans, warning of possible long-term impacts on students and young users.
“I thought the PEMA Secretariat, the ministry of education, and the health ministry, particularly the psychiatry section, will also come together, take a deep dive into it, try to discuss with the telecom operators and try to see if this is appropriate and if this is required. Can’t we rephrase and redesign this plan? That is my whole idea.”
The letter highlighted growing issues: disrupted sleep, academic struggles, health risks, and behavioral changes linked to excessive late-night screen time.
Meanwhile, in a BBS Facebook poll, which was run for 24 hours, from over 24,400 respondents, while 40 per cent of them used the midnight data plans, 16 per cent has not availed them. Among them, a staggering 35 per cent found the plan inconvenient and not beneficial against 9 per cent who thought otherwise.
Lekshey Lhazeen Dorji, college graduate said “If I just recharge my unlimited during midnight, it is better that way because that way, I get to use data as much as I want and I don’t have to worry about the exhaustion of data so I can download videos, movies and I can also download documents and books that I need.”
Tshering Cheki, a student said “I think unlimited data is very useful for students because they can download the videos that they want to and they can update their phone without wasting their data. I usually stay the whole night scrolling TikToks and downloading the videos that I want to watch during my free time.”
Rinchhen Khandu, who is a parent said “This facility is good in one way and bad also in many ways. After one o’clock it is time for children to sleep. So, if children engage in this kind of activity, they become dull by daylight because you get a headache.”
Likewise, Kuenga Samdrup, a student said “I use unlimited data only on the weekends, and my parents are okay with it. I use it to watch TikTok and YouTube.”
As the debate continues, health experts are raising concerns about the potential long-term effects of these plans. Dr Puja Subedi, a psychiatrist at the national referral hospital, says staying up late disrupts natural sleep cycles.
“When they are staying late at night, the sleep is disrupted, and it is not something that happens on that day itself; over time it becomes a pattern. Sleep is typically associated with nighttime, as it requires a dark, quiet environment. Sleeping during the day cannot compensate for the sleep lost during nighttime. So late-night activities for children and adolescents are actually a big no. There should be rules at home or a situation at home when the child goes to bed at time, gets up at time. And when they are left with their phones or gaming and staying up late at night, it can impact their concentration for the next day or for a long duration of time.”
She warns of deeper implications too such as exposure to inappropriate content, vulnerability to online predators, and the development of addictive habits.
“I think what would be more helpful is if parental control tools or supervision tools are introduced like if you look in the western world, YouTube, there are YouTube Kids where the content is very different and specific for children. I think there is a different Facebook for children where there is parental supervision so that the child cannot befriend anybody on the internet or join any random groups. So, that helps; the child still uses those media tools, but at the same time be protected.”
In a written response, regulatory body BICMA said it had assessed the implications of these unlimited data plans before approving proposals from the telecom operators. BICMA added that it will discuss with telecom operators and work on the possibility of any changes.
However, it argues that there are benefits, including reduced internet congestion at night and greater support for late-night workers and students.
On the other hand, people who reacted to the BBS poll mostly called for a change in timing of the plan.
While Bhutan Telecom did not comment on the story, TashiCell said that though it can implement awareness campaigns and engage in discussions, it also emphasises the importance of parental and individual responsibility in monitoring internet usage, especially for children. It added that the current timing was carefully designed to optimise network efficiency and provide affordable internet access. It also said changes to the timing would require a detailed assessment of network congestion, service quality, and feasibility.
Amidst the debate, while the scheme may be affordable, many say the cost could be more than just financial in the long run.
Devika Pradhan
Edited by Kipchu
