Papua New Guinea would benefit from improved telecoms connectivity
With fixed teledensity having seen little change over the past two decades, progress in PNGs telecommunications has come primarily from mobile networks, where accessibility has expanded from less than 3% population coverage in 2006 to more than 89% today with a combination of 2G, 3G and 4G LTE networks on offer depending on location. 2G still exists in many rural and remote areas, with 3G and 4G LTE centred more on urban areas.
Network deployment costs are high in PNG due to the relatively low subscriber base, the impervious terrain, and the high proportion of the population living in rural areas. As a result, fixed telecom infrastructure is almost non-existent outside urban centres, leaving most of the population un-serviced. The existing submarine cable infrastructure is also no longer adequate and Internet services are expensive and slow.
By bridging the digital divide between the rural and urban areas, PNG would reap both economic and social benefits.
Internet access is expected to improve with the 2018 build-out of a new submarine cable known as the Coral Sea Cable System which will link PNG to the Solomon Islands, with a connecting cable to the Australian (Sydney) landing station. It will provide increased capacity and reliability as well reduce Internet costs for consumers.
In addition, a MoU was established between Australia and APEC partners in November 2018 which will see the expansion of PNG’s Internet backbone.
Key developments:
In 2018 testing of the Kacific-1 satellite began with a planned launch for 2019.
International attention was focused on Papua New Guinea recently when it hosted the 2018 APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit.
The government is currently introducing its national strategy: Vision 2050 which is hoped will further address long-term infrastructure requirements; improve general living conditions and maintain economic stability. Papua New Guinea is also being guided by its medium-term plan, The Papua New Guinea Development Strategic Plan.
A significant pricing development occurred in Papua New Guinea in September 2018 when the Communication Minister rejected a Retail Service Determination (RSD) recommendation, due to concerns over its social and economic impact.
The Coral Sea Cable System is under development.Companies mentioned in this report include:
Kumul Telikom; (Telikom PNG, PNG DataCo, Bmobile (Vodafone) and Digicel.
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Key statistics Country overview Telecommunications market Market analysis Other key considerations Telecom sector development targets for 2030 Regulatory environment Historical overview Regulatory authority Independent Public Business Corporation (IPBC) Telecom sector liberalisation Interconnection Mobile Termination Rates (MTR) Universal Services Access SIM registration MNP Retail service determination (RSD) Fixed network operators Kumul Telikom Holdings Company Limited Telikom PNG PNG DataCo Telecommunications infrastructure National telecom network National Transmission Network (NTN) International infrastructure Satellite Submarine cables Broadband market Introduction and statistical overview Internet Exchange Point (IXP) Digital media Video streaming/television Major players HiTRON Digicel Play Click TV Mobile market Market analysis Mobile statistics Mobile broadband Mobile infrastructure 3G 4G / LTE Major mobile operators Digicel Kumul Telikom (Bmobile/ Vodafone) Mobile content and applications M-banking and m-payments Related reportsList of Tables
Table 1 – Top-level country statistics and regulatory authorities - Papua New Guinea – 2019
Table 2 – Evolution of GDP in PNG – 2013 – 2019
Table 3 – Papua New Guinea - Telecom sector development goals – 2010; 2015; 2020; 2025; 2030
Table 4 – Papua New Guinea - historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity - 1995 – 2009
Table 5 – Papua New Guinea - fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2010 – 2019
Table 6 – Papua New Guinea - International bandwidth – 2004 – 2016
Table 7 – Papua New Guinea - Internet users and penetration – 2008 – 2018
Table 8 – Papua New Guinea - fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2008 – 2019
Table 9 – Papua New Guinea - mobile subscriptions and penetration – 2008 – 2019
Table 10 – Papua New Guinea - active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2019
Table 11 – Papua New Guinea - mobile operators’ market share – 2014; 2016; 2018
Table 12 – Historical - Digicel PNG and Digicel Group revenue – 6M 2015; 2016
Table 13 – Digicel PNG mobile subscribers – 2014 – 2018
Table 14 – Bmobile – historical - mobile subscribers – 2014 – 2016List of Charts
Chart 1 – PNG - mobile operators by market share – 2014; 2016; 2018List of Exhibits
Exhibit 1 – Map of Papua New Guinea
Exhibit 2 – Privatisation of Telikom PNG – historic overview
Exhibit 3 – Kumul Telikom (Telecom) Holdings Limited
Exhibit 4 – National Transmission Network map
Exhibit 5 – VSAT connects remote Manus Islands
Exhibit 6 – Major submarine cables with landing points in Papua New Guinea – 2018
Exhibit 7 – The laying of APNG-2 – a recycled submarine cable
Exhibit 8 – Mobile operators and technology used
