The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Bhutan Telecom (BT) and TashiCell have installed and upgraded network infrastructure and bandwidth across Gelephu to mitigate anticipated network congestion during the upcoming 108 Chortens event.
With over 100,000 attendees expected, both service providers are collaborating to expand overall network capacity. TashiCell aims to cater to around 40 percent of the crowd (roughly 50,000 people) and BT to cater the rest 60 percent.
“In light of this historic gathering, both telecom companies have prepared extensively to ensure improved network connectivity in Gelephu,” said Tashi Tshering, Managing Director of Tashi InfoComm Private Limited.
“We have installed nine base stations in the Zeeray area with a combined bandwidth capacity of 48 GB, which we believe will be sufficient for our user base. Additionally, six base stations have been set up in Tareythang to enhance connectivity,” he added.
According to TashiCell, mobile networks around campsite accommodation areas are also being upgraded. While erecting new base stations in camps was not feasible, existing infrastructure is being boosted with added resources and WiFi facilities to maximize capacity.
Officials acknowledged the scale of the challenge. Gelephu’s existing baseline network is built to serve 15,000 to 20,000 residents. To manage the spike, spare equipment and new sites, including 4G, 5G, and public WiFi, have been deployed at key venues and lodging areas.
The Regional Director for Bhutan Telecom (Central Region) noted that the current arrangement provides eight times the network capacity compared to baseline levels, drawing directly on operational insights from the Global Peace Prayer Festival (GPPF), which drew a similarly large crowd of 100,000+ attendees.
Maximum capacity, including high-speed WiFi, has been deployed across Zeeray and Tareythang. The temporary upgrades are designed to ensure each user maintains a minimum speed of 2 megabits per second (Mbps).
“Users may still experience congestion due to the sheer volume of people, but all available technologies have been deployed to boost existing capacity,” the Regional Director said.
To maintain smooth connectivity, telecom officials advise attendees to use mobile data judiciously and adopt technical optimizations such as switching to 5G and VoLTE
Users with compatible devices are encouraged to switch to 5G networks, which offer higher bandwidth and lower congestion compared to 4G.
For voice calls, subscribers are advised to activate Voice over LTE (VoLTE) through TashiCell or BT customer service channels to offload traffic from standard channels and improve call clarity.
