Papua New Guinea - Telecoms Market Overview & Statistics - Background Report

Synopsis

Although PNG has a relatively advanced telecom network compared with other developing nations, teledensity as well as mobile and Internet penetration remains very low. Telecoms infrastructure is limited to the major urban centres of Port Moresby, Lae and Mt Hagen leaving rural areas very poorly served. Privatisation of Telikom began in 2001 and in 2004 an agreement was reached to sell a majority stake to South Africa-based Econet Wireless.

However, the government rejected Econet’s bid. In 2006 Telikom PNG, Telstra and Telecom NZ finalised a plan to recycle a section of the old PacRimWest cable connecting Australia to Guam as a new link connecting Port Moresby and Sydney. Telikom has begun phase one of a major network upgrade in PNG. Digicel is building a US$500 million mobile network, across PNG.

This report was last updated in 2008 and contains background information on the Telecom, Broadband and Mobile markets up until that time. This report will not be updated again. More recent information, including statistics and data is contained the latest separate report: HYPERLINK "http://www.budde.com.au/Research/Papua-New-Guinea-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband.html"Papua New Guinea - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. Key statistics
• 3. Country overview
• 4. Telecommunications market
  • 4.1 Overview of PNG’s telecom market
• 5. Regulatory environment
  • 5.1 History
  • 5.2 Independent Consumer and Competition Act 2002
  • 5.3 Regulatory authorities
    • 5.3.1 PNG Telecommunications Authority (PANGTEL)
    • 5.3.2 Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC)
  • 5.4 Privatisation of Telikom PNG
  • 5.5 Liberalisation of the local telecoms market
    • 5.5.1 Government resistance of entry to mobile competitor Digicel
    • 5.5.2 Mobile interconnection developments
• 6. Fixed network operators in PNG
  • 6.1 Telikom PNG Ltd
• 7. Telecommunications infrastructure
  • 7.1 National telecom network
    • 7.1.1 NCD fibre optic network
    • 7.1.2 Domestic satellite network
    • 7.1.3 Rural communications
    • 7.1.4 Challenges of maintaining and building infrastructure
    • 7.1.5 Next Generation Network – major network upgrade – 2007
  • 7.2 International infrastructure
    • 7.2.1 New Tier 1 satellite link to the USA for Telikom
  • 7.3 Telecoms and IT
    • 7.3.1 Overview
• 8. Internet market
  • 8.1 Overview
  • 8.2 Internet gateway (Tiare)
  • 8.3 ISP market
    • 8.3.1 Datec
  • 8.4 Wireless broadband
  • 8.5 Satellite broadband
• 9. Broadcasting
  • 9.1 Satellite and cable TV
    • 9.1.1 HiTRON Ltd
• 10. Mobile communications
  • 10.1 Overview of PNG’s mobile market
    • 10.1.1 Mobile statistics
  • 10.2 Regulatory issues
    • 10.2.1 New mobile licences awarded
  • 10.3 Major mobile operators
    • 10.3.1 Mobile Communications Ltd (PMC)
    • 10.3.2 Digicel
  • 10.4 Mobile voice services
    • 10.4.1 Satellite mobile
• 11. Related reports

• Table 1 – Country statistics – 2008
• Table 2 – Telephone network statistics – 2008
• Table 3 – Internet provider statistics – 2006
• Table 4 – Internet user statistics – 2008
• Table 5 – Mobile statistics – 2008
• Table 6 – National telecommunications authorities
• Table 7 – Mobile operators and technology – 2008