Weather forecast just a call away

POKHARA, Jan 13: Locals can now receive the weather report of numerous districts across the country with just one phone call. Introduced for the first time in Nepal, Nepal Telecom (NT) calls it a ´networking board´ which updates the caller on the day´s weather through a recorded voiceover.



Western Zonal Regional Weather Office in Pokhara, the first user group for this technology, has met with massive public interest within a few months of its installation. The weather updating system is accessible only after receiving registration and a password from the regional NT office. [break]



Any caller from any part of the country will get weather information on the registered districts on dialing the codes.



“We started in May and the service has had a positive impact on callers. Inspired by our initiative, the Surkhet branch of the regional weather office has also registered for the service,” said Sudeep Kayastha, chief of the regional weather office, Pokhara.



“Authorities in Kathmandu and Dharan are also about to embrace this technology soon,” added Kayastha.



He informed that callers, after dialing the code number 1698061465299, will hear the maximum and minimum temperatures along with rain forecast for 11 districts in the Pokhara region.



According to Kayastha, the voiceover will give the daily morning and evening weather updates for Rupandehi, Nawalparasi, Gorkha, Tanahu, Lamjung, Kaski, Syangja, Palpa, Parwat, Baglung and Mustang districts. “Anyone can get the weather forecasts from 6:30 am till 6:30 pm,” he said.



A hundred callers can get the day´s weather forecast simultaneously because the voiceover is recorded, informed Kayastha. “The system doesn´t operate like a call center with operators at the opposite end. The callers will hear the recorded report which we send to NT,” said Kayastha.



Kayastha highlighted how this system has become more user friendly than the internet. “The caller has to simply dial the code numbers and get the weather in seconds. Browsing the internet is not possible at all times, given the load-shedding,” said Kayastha.



According to Rajesh Regmi, sales chief of NT Pokhara branch, airlines and flight users have benefitted a lot from the system. “Besides airlines, the service is also used regularly by hotels, hospitals, radio stations, schools and travel agencies,” he said.



Regmi further informed that the charge per minute for the weather forecast will be the same as for a telephone call.



“Since this is a test phase, we have not allocated the required work force for operating the system. Moreover, a lack of budget has not helped,” said Kayastha.

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