Ncell to Introduce Recharge through Kiosks

Ncell is going to introduce a new facility that will enable its  customers to recharge balances through kiosk machines. According to the company, Ncell customers can top-up their balance themselves by inserting bank notes of Rs 20 denomination or above in the inlet of kiosks.

“The customers can recharge whatever amount they are comfortable with, starting from Rs 20, by inserting appropriate bank notes,” reads the official press statement.

Ncell plans to install the facility first in the Kathmandu Valley, and expand it outside later. The company plans to install 40 kiosks in different parts of the valley in the initial phase.

“Recharge Kiosks will be the first facility of its kind in Nepal. They will ease and empower the customers greatly. Hence, we feel glad for being able to serve the customers in a new way,” said Sanju Koirala, Corporate Communication Director at Ncell.

According to the company, once the new facility is introduced, the customers will not need to rely on recharge cards alone to top up the balance. It will also assure that the customers get full recharge for the money they pay at maximum retail price (MRP).

To recharge via kiosks, Ncell customers would first need to choose the language (‘Nepali’ or ‘English’), then select Ncell (the service provider’s name) displayed on the screen and enter the 10-digit mobile number they wish to recharge.


 

Samsung Mobile Expo Concludes

Samsung Mobile Expo 2013 concluded on January 29 registering a turnover of Rs 100 million during the weeklong exhibition held at Civil Mall, Sudhara. According to the organisers, some 230,000 visitors attended the expo.

More than 25 mobile companies participated in the expo showcasing their products in over 62 stalls. According to Purushottam Basnet, President of Mobile Traders Association of Nepal – the organiserthe expo themed ‘Sanchar nai sansar’ was successful, because of the overwhelming response from the visitors.

The expo marked the presence of brands such as Samsung, Nokia, Carbon, LG, Spice, Colors, and Sony, among  others. The expo was a perfect destination to see and understand the latest technologies in the mobile phone industry and purchase gadgets  like smartphones and tablets. Exhibitors also offered attractive offers, including discounts, on the purchases. Various attractive gift hampers were also given away as the door prize for the visitors.

 

Tourist Arrivals Decline after 3.5 Years

Tourist arrivals for January witnessed a sharp slump compared to the same month of 2012. According to the figures released by the Immigration Office, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), the tourist arrivals reached 35,330 with a 15.9 per cent decline in January this year compared to the same month last year.

According to the official press statement issued by Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), major source markets have recorded negative growths in tourist arrivals in the first month of 2013. “In the SAARC region, only Pakistan has recorded a positive growth of 5.8 per cent. India which constitutes the major market of Nepal, has recorded a negative growth of 26.1 per cent. Arrivals from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have also registered negative a growth by 62.6 per cent and 42.6 per cent respectively,” reads the statement.

Tourist arrivals from other Asian countries have also registered a negative growth of 16.4 per cent on average. According to NTB, tourist arrivals from China have decreased by a whopping 40.3 per cent whereas the arrivals from Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and South Korea have increased by 16.8, 10.3, 4.3, 42.6 and 11.2 per cent respectively.

An overall negative growth of 15 per cent has been observed from the European market while tourist arrivals from Australia, New Zealand and the USA have registered growths of 27.3, 25, and 13 per cent respectively. A negative growth of 27.4 per cent has been recorded from Canada in January 2013 compared to January 2012, says the press release.

A total of 45,667 foreign tourists departed from TIA in January 2013. The number of Nepali arrivals stood at 69,442 while 91,281 Nepalis departed from TIA in January 2013.