DOCTOR CELLULAR | Career | wavemag.com.np

What do you do if the new cell phone you'd bought the other day stops working for no apparent reason and the company warranty does not cover it? If it were a few years ago, it would mean you either had to ship it off abroad to have it repaired or worse, get a new one.

Now, not only are the mobile repairing technicians in Nepal efficient and professional, they have practically the same technical ability as their foreign counterparts.

With almost every city block having at least three to four mobile repair centres, the prospect for a job as a mobile technician is booming. And it pays well, too.

Ranjan KC has been repairing cell phones since Nepal Telecom first introduced mobile telephony to the country. His small shop in a corner of Bishal Bajar is abuzz with activity at any given time of the day. "The ability to market yourself only comes second to the standard of service you can provide," he says. "People come back later or recommend your services to others if you can satisfy the customer."

Ranjan's theory has taken him far. An electronic enthusiast from childhood, his love for gadgets took him to Singapore where he graduated with a degree in Electronics. "It's almost impossible to gain back the trust of a customer once you mess up his just off-the-shelf cell phone. Replacing original parts with duplicate ones or delivering unfinished work will only mean you have lost another customer," says Ranjan. His small repair shop earns a whopping Rs 90,000 and more each month.

Prabesh Malla is another technician who has been in this profession for the past three years. A level-3 component expert who graduated from India, he says,"People are getting more brand conscious and do not hesitate to splurge thousands on a new product. The challenge lies in convincing people that we can do our work with the same proficiency as the company technicians abroad, but at almost half the price."

PRATIK KARKI

With newer brands being launched and the ever increasing rise in cell phone users, this profession definitely packs a lot of potential. Finding a local technical school in Kathmandu is not an obstacle now and more technicians are graduating each year. But enthusiasm alone is not enough for prospective students.

A sound knowledge in computer software programming and a hint of electronics is a must if you plan on pursuing a career in mobile repairing. Steady hands to get the small parts in place is another skill a cell phone doctor should possess.

When asked about whether Nepali technicians will be able to cope with the new technology coming in every day and the broad spectrum of problems they will bring, Prabesh says, "The skill we possess is based on practice. It is mathematics and programming combined with hardware. So once you get used to the ins and outs of any device on a regular basis, repairing a new generation cell phone is only like solving a different mathematical problem," he says. "You'll get it right at the end."