Telikom upgrades gateways
Telikom’s new international gateway at Ela Beach is fully operational and, at the same time, additional gateways are being commissioned at Boroko and Lae.
All international voice and data traffic in and out of PNG will be carried on the faster, bigger and more reliable APNG2 submarine cable, connected nationwide via the two Port Moresby gateways.
The National Government, in its re-stated ICT policy, wants only Telikom to operate the sole international gateway and retain fixed line services, as reserved rights under its General Carrier’s Licence.
Digicel, the second mobile phone operator, wants to maintain its own international gateway and this issue is preventing interconnection.
Telikom said it invested K6 million in gateway upgrades, providing extra capacity sufficient to carry all traffic now and into the future, with both submarine cable and satellite backup.
It said submarine cable is the world-wide choice of international carriers, having much greater bandwidth than satellite.
In addition to the recently-laid APNG2 cable to Sydney, Telikom has also signed on to share the new-generation PIPE cable network, linking Australasia and PNG with the North Pacific region.
The Gerehu Earth Station and its satellites will remain as the back-up.
Telikom said it will maintain separate gateways for internet and voice, giving even further re-assurance to customers of reliability, speed and clarity.
All systems will be capable of integration into next generation network technology of the future.
Telikom has assured all customers, including those to be interconnected to the national network, that there would be adequate international voice, internet and data facilities available at all times with back-up facilities.
It said there was no reason at all for prices to be under upwards pressure.
In fact, international call charges look likely to fall in the near future, Telikom insiders said.
The ICT policy will be endorsed by Parliament later this month.
Nation Stories