Papua New Guinea will reportedly benefit from K200 million (US$56 million) in capital investments in the telecommunications sector over the next two years, after Telstra has been given the green light to buy Digicel PNG Ltd.
PNG’s National Information and Communications Authority (NICTA) gave its final consent to Telstra last Wednesday to transfer license rights for the proposed acquisition of Digicel Pacific.
PNG’s Minister for Information Communications Technology Timothy Masiu said it was the first time a major Australian telecommunications company was making a huge investment in PNG.
NICTA CEO Kila Gulo-Vui said up to K200 million (US$56 million) would be invested in PNG in the next two years including “capacity upgrades from 3G to 4G of remaining Digicel networks”.
“It also includes a buildup of additional communication infrastructure towers, upgrade of quality of services from 96% to about 99% … There is no question on Teltra’s capacity in terms of its technical expertise and financial ability. We expect that to flow into our economy that will contribute to the sectors development and aspirations, Gulo-Vui said.
A Telstra spokesman said: “We are pleased to receive unconditional approval from Nicta on our proposed acquisition of Digicel Pacific. We are working through the final completion steps of the acquisition.”
