You now pay less for internet in Papua New Guinea

By CLARISSA MOI, The National PNG

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.”

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More data, less cost in Papua New Guinea

By CLARISSA MOI, the National PNG

CUSTOMERS are flocking in numbers at Telkom and bmobile outlets to enjoy the reduction in internet rates, with both companies expecting an immediate surge in sales.

bmobile-Vodafone retail staff Alma Lahui at the Vision City outlet told The National that on Wednesday afternoon alone, they sold 80 Telikom PNG SIM (subscriber identity module) cards and 90 bmobile SIM cards.

“This shows how the internet pricing reduction has affected our sales,” Lahui said.
“We are also attending to a lot of customers compared to previously.”
She said sales had improved tremendously.

bmobile Waigani retail store team leader Aiavuna Walo said there was a big increase in the number of customers on Wednesday and yesterday.
She said only a few got wind of news of the lowering of the rates on Wednesday.

But yesterday, more turned up after it was extensively publicised.

Walo said since they were dealing with from both Telikom and bmobile.

Kumul Telikom Holdings Limited deputy chairman Rueben Kautu said on Wednesday that they had also expected the demand to increase and so had plans to manage it.

Communication and Information Minister Rainbo Paita, pictured, said on Wednesday the reduction of internet rates by the two companies was part of the Government’s plan to offer better services to the people.
He said it should promote “higher and more efficient communication among our citizens”.

“On average internet prices have been reduced by 70 to 80 per cent.
“There are permanent price changes and not just a one-off campaign.”
Meanwhile, Digicel, the other telecommunications company, has not changes its prices.

Senior vice-president and chief sales officer Lorna McPherson told The National that all their plans and pricings were available in their stores and on the company website for all customers to see.
She said they had no further updates.

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