Tens of thousands of people are expected in Gelephu for the raising of the 108 Jangchub Chortens, and one question will be on many minds: how to stay connected? Whether it’s reaching family, sharing moments from the event, or using essential services, a reliable phone signal will matter. Telecom service providers say they are ready, but with such large crowds, a little preparation from visitors will also help.
To prepare for the big day, Bhutan Telecom and TashiCell are working to ensure reliable network coverage for people attending the event, including international guests.
Nar Bahadur Chhetri, Regional Director of Bhutan Telecom in Gelephu, said, “In total, we have added more than 25 new nodes to build up the capacity to handle the huge crowd that are expected on 1st November. We are also trying to install Wi-Fi and Starlink for VVIPs’ zeerays to decongest the overall network.”
Tshering Dorji, Planning Engineer at TashiCell, said, “Since the existing towers are not enough, we have added more, around nine in the main event areas. We have also strengthened our network coverage in the main camping sites across the town.”
With large crowds expected, mobile networks may experience congestion as many people make calls and access the internet at the same time. Visitors are encouraged to take a few simple steps to stay connected.
First, enable VoLTE (Voice over Long-Term Evolution) on your phone, if your device, SIM card and mobile operator support it. VoLTE allows you to make voice calls over a 4G LTE network. It offers clearer calls, faster call connections, and the ability to keep using 4G mobile data during a call.
To activate VoLTE, check your phone’s mobile network settings for the VoLTE or 4G calling option.
On an iPhone, go to Settings → Mobile Service/Cellular → Mobile Data Options → Voice & Data, and enable VoLTE. The exact options depend on your iPhone and carrier.
On an Android phone, go to Settings → Connections → Mobile Network/SIM settings, look for VoLTE calls or 4G calling, and enable it.
For further assistance with mobile network connectivity and activation of 5G mobile, people can call Bhutan Telecom’s toll-free number 1600 or TashiCell’s toll-free number 7700.
Tshewang Choden
