Nepal Telecom had to stop this week's sales of prepaid mobile phone sim cards long before it reached the sales target. The company had aimed at distributing 50,000 sim cards, but had to stop after just 30,000 reached the public because the Royal Nepali Army decided to equip its officers with mobile phones instead of walky-talkies, and demanded 20,000 sim cards. A source in the army said mobile phones are now preferred because many of the walky-talkies soldiers were given have either been taken by the rebels or are not functioning well. Army officials have also been complaining that the rebels often intercept their walky-talkie communication.