|
IT suppliers attack Telikom
By CHRISTINE PAKAKOTA
THE Information Technology Suppliers Association (ITSA), on behalf of
the Internet Service Providers (ISP), has described Telikom’s wholesale
price of its broadband service as a backward step for a developing
country such as PNG.
Telikom’s recently launched internet service of Teli-Net broadband
Internet and Data Services, claims it offers a more efficient, reliable
and high speed internet access and data communication both locally and
globally.
But the ISP have requested the unbundling of these broadband products as
is required by law to allow them to continue providing the best possible
level of service to internet users in PNG, by way of fair and uniform
competition.
ITSA stated that access to the internet service component of these
products on a wholesale basis was yet to be granted to ISP despite the
official Telikom launch and marketing to the general public from last
December.
“Since the introduction of internet services in PNG nine years ago, the
Internet Service Providers which include Daltron, Global Technologies
and Online South Pacific (Data Nets) have strived to provide the best
possible service within the constraints of the Telikom-provided Tiare
International Gateway.”
It further stated that Telikom’s current actions indicate an intention
to be a wholesaler and a retailer of internet services with no effective
competition from other ISP.
“The licence and regulatory conditions under which Telikom operates in
PNG requires that Telikom provide access to its monopoly network for
service providers such as the ISP at a rate which reflects a fair and
reasonable cost of providing that service.
“Unless this is done, Telikom will become the only ISP offering internet
services in PNG.
“A monopoly ISP is a backward step for a developing country such as PNG.”
However, an industry source contacted yesterday said the provision and
pricing of broadband services to customers across PNG was a matter of
national interest.
The source said the major local internet service provider, Datec, with
more than 45% of all PNG customers, had already signed up with Telikom,
and was ready to provide high speed broadband internet services to
customers across PNG.
The remainder of the ISP gave the appearance of looking for higher
profits, the source said.
Telikom is the only provider under PNG law entitled to provide internet
“wholesale” carriage to the various ISP, and had provided the ICCC with
a transparent report on its costs and prices.
To support its growing list of PNG customers for internet and data
services, Telikom has also submitted details of its recent price
reduction on wholesale tariffs.
Telikom’s new prices were on average 10% lower than previous charges.
The ICCC had ignored this advice, the source said, and insisted on a
lower tariff, which was below Telikom’s costs, which had to include the
new APNG-2 cable, and required investment in the national internet
network, including high speed VSAT.
 
|
