The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Internet fluctuations continue to affect daily life across Bhutan, driven by a combination of rugged geography, rising data consumption, and the financial realities of network expansion. The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Employment (MoICE) Namgyal Dorji explained that these challenges are deeply linked to both physical and economic constraints.
In urban areas, growing numbers of users and higher data demand require the continuous installation of new base stations to keep services stable. However, this process is slowed by the need to obtain land clearances and approvals from municipal and local government authorities, which is a hurdle that significantly affects network expansion in cities and towns.
In rural parts of the country, the mountainous terrain blocks signals from traveling longer distances. As a result, mobile networks mainly serve clustered households in villages rather than open stretches of highway or land between settlements. Extending coverage to these areas would require substantial investment, making it a major economic decision.
Network congestion is another contributing factor, especially during large national events when thousands of users connect at the same time. Telecom operators address this by using temporary equipment such as portable base stations and specialized radio devices, although these solutions are not permanent and need regular adjustments.
Not all internet slowdowns stem from the network itself. Some are the result of limited server capacity for popular services and applications, like the National Day lottery registration or the education ministry’s exam result website. Increasing these servers’ capacity could help, but the cost must be weighed against the fact that peak demand usually occurs only once or twice a year.
To monitor and maintain quality, the Bhutan InfoComm and Media Authority (BICMA) tracks monthly system performance data from all mobile base stations. Additional measures include periodic drive tests across the country, targeted checks based on user complaints, and collecting speed data from the Druk Speed App. While some users question the app’s accuracy, BICMA’s assessments show only minor differences compared to global speed test tools.
Currently, the government has no plans to subsidize satellite services, such as Starlink, although such technologies could potentially help address gaps in rural connectivity in the future. At the same time, BICMA is working to improve the Druk Speed App by adding new features and encouraging broader public use to strengthen data collection and analysis.
Despite these limitations, MoICE reports that Bhutan’s telecom providers largely meet key performance standards for 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies. However, occasional fluctuations remain likely, especially in regions affected by severe weather, difficult terrain, or sudden surges in demand.
Improving internet reliability in Bhutan remains a complex task shaped not only by technical upgrades but also by decisions about funding, terrain challenges, and how best to serve users across both densely populated towns and remote mountain valleys.
