DIGICEL ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT NETWORK EXPANSIONS IN PNG

Digicel PNG has announced a major milestone in its mission to enhance connectivity across Papua New Guinea by bringing its coverage to almost a million people.

Since April 2022, Digicel PNG has significantly expanded its network, reaching all 21 provinces and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, enabling more Papua New Guineans to get connected.

Over the past two years, Digicel PNG has built 115 new mobile towers and upgraded 96 mobile towers to 4G LTE, achieving a 20% increase in its 4G LTE coverage, thereby solidifying its position as the largest 4G network in the country.

This expansion has resulted in the network covering over 80% of the population of Papua New Guinea, including both rural areas and major urban centers such as Port Moresby, Lae, Mt Hagen, Wewak, and Kokopo.

“This expansion underscores Digicel PNG’s dedication to bridging the digital divide and fostering economic and social development across Papua New Guinea,” said Tarik Boudiaf, CEO of Digicel PNG.

“By extending our mobile network to all 21 provinces and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, we are making significant strides towards enabling every Papua New Guinean to get access to reliable and high-speed internet.”

Digicel has the largest network coverage in the country, thus the deployment of new towers has been strategically balanced across the Highlands region, in Momase, in NGI, and in the Southern region, bringing the new coverage to almost a million people.

“We recognize the critical role that connectivity plays in today’s digital age,”Boudiaf added.

“Our new builds and upgrades, especially targeting rural areas, help to ensure that remote communities are not left behind.”

Boudiaf highlighted that in fact, the majority of their mobile network upgrades have been concentrated in the Momase and Southern regions, with the New Guinea Islands and Highlands regions also benefiting significantly.

“By investing in our network infrastructure, we are not just improving connectivity; we are contributing to the overall development of Papua New Guinea.”

“Whether it’s through facilitating better communication, supporting remote education, or enabling digital commerce, our network plays a vital role in the nation’s progress.”

Digicel’s expansion is part of Telstra’s commitment to Papua New Guinea, following its acquisition of Digicel Pacific in July 2022, thus this acquisition reflects Telstra’s dedication to supporting sustainable economic growth in the Pacific region.