There's plenty of reason to celebrate World Telecommunications Day in Nepal this year. The Nepal Telecommunications Corporation is offering a 50 percent discount on tariffs for international calls for 24 hours from when the clock strikes midnight on 17 May. Internet users in the Biratnagar area are even luckier-they will have free access for three days between 17-19 May. All they need to do is dial up to 15000 and enter "ntcbrt" when asked for a password.

The inevitable will happen soon enough-tariffs will go up-but we have one extra month to enjoy the old rates. The increase was to come into force on 15 May, but that has now been postponed until 15 June, as the decision could not be endorsed by the cabinet in the absence of the prime minister.