Ncell begins issuing new mobile numbers starting with 971
KATHMANDU: Ncell has begun issuing mobile numbers that start with the new 971 range, the company said on Monday.
The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) granted Ncell approval to issue numbers under the 971 range on May 28, 2025, after numbers under the previously issued ranges — 980, 981, 982 and 970 — proved insufficient to continue issuing new SIM cards, the company said.
“We are thankful to the NTA for granting approval for this new number range, keeping the market situation in mind. After completing the necessary preparations, we started issuing new numbers under this range. At a time when the use of mobile phones has expanded beyond basic communication to include digital transactions and access to various services, these new numbers will benefit both consumers and various service providers,” said Upanga Dutta, Chief Consumer Business Officer at Ncell.
With the start of the new number distribution, Ncell has urged government and non-government bodies, service providers, offices, banks and financial institutions that are directly or indirectly connected to mobile systems to integrate or update the 971 range into their systems as soon as possible to ensure efficient service delivery.
Ncell said mobile numbers are essential not only for telecommunications but also for receiving one-time passwords, signing up for mobile apps and web platforms, and carrying out digital transactions. As Nepal advances its information technology infrastructure, the company added that mobile numbers remain a key medium for citizens to access services digitally.
