Third mobile phone company enters PNG market

A Dubai-based multinational firm, Awal Telecommunications Corporation Ltd  has entered PNG market. The firm will provide mobile phone services in PNG. PNG Government awarded a  mobile phone licence worth more than $US260 million (K790 million) and this will be the third mobile company in Papua New Guinea.

The presentation was done in a low key event early last month and was attended by the Communication and Information Minister Jimmy Miringtoro and the National Information and Communica-tion Technology Authority manager (international affairs) Jackson Kariko.

According to information on its website, Awal has a diversified business portfolio and operates in 26 countries from Africa to the Middle East and South East Asia. Their services include mobile operation, gateway operation, BTS ownership and leasing including broadcasting services.

The issuing of a network, gateway and content licence last month now enables them to enter the PNG market bringing to three the number of mobile phone operators in the country.

Currently, Bmobile and Digicel provide a mobile telephony service with Digicel reportedly having over 50 per cent of the market share. Awal’s three licences are for a 10-year period and will expire on March 13, 2024.

Awal CEO Sakib A R told the Post-Courier through social media yesterday they were not new to PNG as they proposed to set up a free trade zone in Manus and are now eyeing the oil and gas industry in PNG.

He said Awal was issued with an individual network (gateway) license to function as a telecom operator in PNG. The presentation ceremony was witnessed by businessmen, partners, investors, executive board members and staff of Awal attended the event at the Palace Hotel in Dubai.

Mr Miringtoro and Mr Kariko addressed the guests before handing over the licenses to the Awal CEO Sakib, chairman Pradeep Kumar and managing director Muhammad Khan. It is understood the company’s executives are in PNG to oversee the rollout of their operations.

Mr Miringtoro was elated when giving his speech last month and said the Government looked forward to welcoming them into the country. "It feels really wonderful to handover the licenses to Awal. We thank them for their interest in our country and we wish that they could do wonderful things to support the government in developing telecom sector of the country. We welcome them to Papua New Guinea," he said.

The upgrading of PNG’s telecommunications infrastructure is Awal’s top priority according to Mr Sakib.

"Awal will definitely be a catalyst in the development of the country’s infrastructure, especially the telecom sector. Awal’s top priority will primarily be at making the telecom facility available to the entire population of Papua New Guinea by improving the network coverage. Awal will make sure that Papua New Guinea’s telecom network is at par with the international telecom operators. Moving ahead, Awal has various infrastructural plans for the country which includes free trade zones, satellite towns, marine harvest and conservation etc…which will support the Government’s efforts to promote the country.

 

PNG Today/ Post Courier