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Business |
Digicel doubts Government
assurance
Warns Telikom to resume
monopoly after Feb 14, ’08
By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
DIGICEL said
yesterday despite the reassurances it received from the Somare
Government, the issue of the mobile phone company not being able
to operate its own mobile network after Feb 14, 2008 still
remains.
In a statement, Digicel stressed that this is the date that the
mobile monopoly of B Mobile, a subsidiary of Telikom PNG, will
be reinstated.
Digicel was informed by its lawyers that the revised ICT Policy
would likely be issued after Feb 14 in which Telikom would
resume monopoly under the ServCo and NetCo scheme, marketing
director Niamh Byrne told this reporter in a mobile phone
interview.
Digicel was reacting to Tuesday’s pronouncement from Minister
for Public Enterprise and Communication Arthur Somare giving
assurance to Digicel and Greencom that their licences would not
be revoked.
Mr Somare said there was no U-turn in Government policy on
competition and new entrants into the mobile telecommunications
sector.
“There is no U-turn. The mobile phone licences will not be
revoked …” the minister said.
However, Digicel spokesperson Marina van der Vlies, told The
National that the date after Feb 14, 2008, hung over them like a
“Damocles sword”.
“We are very disappointed given the reassurances made before we
commenced our K450 million investment in a state-of-the-art
mobile network,” she said.
Ms van der Vlies pointed out that Digicel “has already
successfully brought affordable mobile services to the rural
communities of Papua New Guinea, including such places as New
Ireland, Western Highlands, Simbu and Madang.
“Our network rollout will continue in areas that have never
previously had access to communications services, such as the
rural areas of Wakunai and Baimuru,” said said.
“National mobile calls are now up to 40% cheaper, while
international calls are up to 60% cheaper.
“Dropped calls and congestion are confined to the past. So why
change and take away our network in February? It cannot be for
Telikom’s sake.
Ms van der Vlies stressed that there was no question about its (Telikom)
viability and it was already reducing its prices, improving its
services, network and coverage.
“So again, why deny Digicel the right to continue to operate its
own network?” she asked.
 
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