More than 1.2 Million Papua New Guineans to access internet

More than 1.2 million people in Papua New Guinea are expected to have access to the internet at the conclusion of the World Bank rural communications project roll-out in August.

The World Bank yesterday gave an overview of the project and its progressive support of the information and communication technology sector in the country.

“The rural communications project will improve access to telecommunications infrastructure and services in rural and remote areas of PNG,” it said.

“The project will provide technical assistance to the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) to address emerging regulatory challenges and to strengthen the competitiveness of the telecommunications market and to the Department of Communication and Information to strengthen ICT policy development.

“It will help establish a universal access and service regime and associated fund to develop regulations and operating procedures.

“Further, the project will finance two UAS demonstration projects using competitively-bid one-time capital subsidies to stimulate extension of ICT services to unserved and under-served areas of the country.”

The World Bank had been actively involved in the sector since 2008, advising governments on telecommunications issues including the liberalisation of the mobile market.

“The ongoing rural communications project has financed the installation of mobile base stations at 59 sites in remote areas,” it said.

“It has contributed to providing basic telecom services to over 500,000 people previously unserved by any form of telecommunications services.

“Coupled with aggressive rollouts by the private sector, telecommunications coverage has increased from 20 percent in 2009 to 90 percent in 2016....read more on >>  PNG Technology News

SOURCE: PACNEWS