Poor internet connectivity in Lingmukha Chiwog in Punakha is making it difficult for residents to access news, watch videos and receive important information, prompting calls for improved network services.
For 37-year-old Tsagay, the Chiwog Tshogpa, accessing important documents often means leaving his home and going to a rocky spot where the network connection is better.
Whenever he needs to download a document or watch an official video message, he comes to this spot. As the Chiwog Tshogpa, he regularly receives information from gewog officials and is responsible for sharing it with residents.
However, poor connectivity makes the process difficult and time-consuming. At times, he has to visit the spot at night to download files.
“We cannot download PDF files or videos from our homes because the internet connection is poor. My house is located a little farther away from this spot, where the network coverage is weak. So, whenever I receive files or videos from the Gewog Thrizin, I have to come here to download them,” Tsagay said.
Despite having B-Mobile and TashiCell towers in nearby areas, residents say network services remain unreliable.
With little time to watch television after a long day of work, many residents rely on their mobile phones to catch up on news and current affairs. However, slow connections and videos that stop playing shortly after they start make it difficult to access online information.
Dawa Norbu, a resident of Lingmukha Chiwog, said people often have to come to the same spot to access a 4G network.
“Due to poor internet connectivity, it is difficult to watch videos or access international news on Facebook. We have to come to this spot to access a 4G network. In and around our homes, the internet connection is too weak to load videos or watch news online. We can barely use the internet for basic communication, such as making calls. Videos often stop playing shortly after they start,” he said.
For some young people, the problem goes beyond inconvenience. Many youths in Lingmukha have chosen to stay in their village and engage in farming. However, unreliable internet services are making some reconsider staying in the village.
Sonam Leki, a resident of Lingmukha Chiwog, said better connectivity could encourage more young people to remain in their villages.
“Even when we try to upload an important video, it often fails because of poor network connectivity. Sometimes, this makes us think about moving to towns. If reliable internet services are available, I believe more young people would be willing to stay in their villages,” he said.
Lingmukha Chiwog has around 30 households. The issue has been raised at the Gewog Tshogde and discussed at the Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
A telecom official in Punakha said a survey would be conducted soon to assess the network problems. Meanwhile, a TashiCell official in Wangdue Phodrang said the company had not received any complaints from the area so far.
Changa Dorji, Punakha
Edited by Sonam Pem
