Talks on internet prices

Posted on The National

NATIONAL Information and Communication Technology Authority (Nicta) is in consultations with PNG DataCo to set the wholesale internet price at US$100 (K341.12) per mbps (megabytes per second) when the Coral Sea Cable is commissioned, chief executive officer Charles Punaha says.
He said that would be the anticipated starting price which would decrease over the years as utilisation levels and demand increased.
Punaha told the recent PNG Business Regulators Summit that the wholesale bandwidth in PNG currently cost US$300 (K1030.18) per mbps which was the highest in the Pacific and the cost needed to be lowered.
“We have to be competitive to what other countries in the region are also offering,” he said.
“We are now consulting with PNG DataCo to make sure that they are in agreement with what we are proposing.
“The cost of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services is very high and we are trying to bring that down both for business and individual Papua New Guineans.
“We started a public enquiry process looking at pricing principals at how the country will benefit from this facility with so much capacity that will be now available to the market.”
He said the ICT industry in Papua New Guinea would be transformed once Coral Sea cable network was commissioned for use with much higher internet speeds.
“The total capacity of that cable will be 20,000 gigabits which equates to 20 terabits that’s almost 1,000 times more than the capacity we have at the moment,” he said. “That will totally revolutionise PNG’s ICT industry.
“When it lights up at the launching, the capacity will be 200 gigabits which is more than 200 times what we currently have.”

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You now pay less for internet

By CLARISSA MOI - The National

IT’S official. Internet rates for consumers using Telikom PNG and Bmobile have been slashed by between 70 and 80 per cent.
In what is a landmark moment in the telecommunication sector, Communication and Energy Minister Rainbo Paita said the lowering of internet rates would facilitate “higher and more efficient communication among our citizens”.
“We will now enjoy major reductions in fixed mobile data prices by the Kumul Telikom Holdings through its subsidiaries Bmobile and Telikom PNG,” he said.
“On average, internet prices have been reduced by 70 to 80 per cent.
“These are permanent price changes and not just a one-off campaign.”
Paita said it was consistent with the Government’s plan to transform and grow the country’s economy, cultivate new practices and provide new jobs.
“This massive reduction in rates will also involve higher and efficient communication among our citizens,” he said.
Paita said information and communication technology was a cross-cutting enabler to transform the country economically. He said customers should expect continuous price reductions in all products including fixed internet services on fibre, assymetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) and fixed wireless broadband.
“This reduction should encourage more Papua New Guinea citizens to start more small medium enterprises and businesses as well as enable increased productivity for existing companies.
Telikom PNG began reducing its rates on Monday (July 1).
Bmobile began at 12:01am yesterday (July 03).
Telikom PNG’s 2GB (gigabytes) for seven days which previously cost K18 will now be K10.
Bmobile’s 150MB (megabytes) for seven days was previously K10. It will be now be 2GB for K12.
The new data rates for Bmobile are: 500 megabytes (MB) for one day for K3; 1 gigabyte (GB) for three days for K6; 2GB for seven days for K12; 10GB for 30 days for K55 and 20GB for 30 days for K150.
Telikom PNG’s new rates are: 1BG for one day for K5; 2GB for seven days for K10; 20GB for 30 days for K95; 50GB for 30 days for K230; 100GB for 30 days for K450, and 200GB for 30 days at K875. Telikom PNG’s sales and marketing manager Silas Matoli said they expected an influx of customers given the reduction in internet cost.
“With the current capacity, we are able to cater for the increased demand in bandwidth. But if there is any need, (obviously) we will go back to DataCo PNG Ltd which is the wholesale, to add on more value,” he said.
Matoli said there would be a decline in revenue to the company but they had plans to cushion that.
“We are looking at aggressively going into the market and getting all the market shares.”

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/you-now-pay-less-for-internet/

Country already enjoying cheaper, faster internet

Posted by The National

PAPUA New Guineans and businesses are already starting to enjoy cheaper and faster internet access in the country.
This follows news that its 4,700km fibre-optic submarine cable is on track to be delivered by the end of the year.
In the past, a 2Gb 14-day data bundle was retailed at K60. Today, a 30-day 10Gb data bundle costs only K55.
This means Telikom PNG 4G subscription charges are down by about 80 per cent.
Huawei Technologies (PNG) Pvt Ltd chief executive officer Jacky Xu, pictured, said: “Our vision is to deliver digital connection to every person, home and organisation for a fully connected, intelligent world.
“That is why we believe that it is everyone’s basic right to be digitalised and connected in this modern era.
“We are working hard here, hoping it (vision) will be realised in PNG.
“As Bmobile’s strategic partner, we admire our customer’s huge investment in connectivity.
“We are very honoured to be part of their mission towards a better connected PNG.
“Moving forward, Huawei PNG promises its full commitment in contributing to PNG’s Information Communications Technology (ICT) development.
“We will further increase our efforts and investment to enable our customers to enjoy the best and affordable network services, be it at home or an organisation.”
In a recent panel discussion in Port Moresby, PNG DataCo Ltd general manager for commercial services Une O’ome said the 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) platform cables being developed with Huawei would improve internet capabilities by 100 gigabytes per second (when completed and operational).
“It will be much better in comparison to what we have today, combining different technologies like sattle-lite, the old APNG-2 (Australia PNG Two) cable going from Port Moresby to Sydney and what we have going on the PPC-1 (Pipe Pacific Cable One) in Madang,” he added.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/country-already-enjoying-cheaper-faster-internet/