Digicel invested K3.4bil in communities, says official

By CLARISSA MOI
DIGICEL PNG has invested more than US$1 billion (K3.4bil) since 2007 to connect people in the rural and urban areas in PNG, says chief executive officer Colin Stone.
Stone told The National yesterday that the company had coverage in more than 85 per cent of the nation and continued to expand in providing telecommunication services and upgrading services.
He said 45 new telecommunication towers would be put up by next March.
“Before the end of the financial year, which is March for us, we’ll provide coverage to 45 places in PNG,” he said.
“So 45 new towers go up to keep connecting the unconnected because that link between the urban and rural Papua New Guineans is important.
“That’s our main focus, to give rural people the same benefits that people here in Port Moresby have.
“If Digicel hadn’t done this, then the people would be still unconnected.
“So it’s really about connecting the rural and the urban Papua New Guineans.”
Stone said the Digicel Foundation itself had invested more than K130 million.
“We’ve built, through the foundation, over 600 classrooms with 25 to 30 children in each classrooms and also donated ambulances.”
Stone said the Covid-19 pandemic had affected the business operations similar to any other businesses in the country and around the world.
“The Covid-19 has slowed everyone. As we operate right across the country, things like inter-region travel has been very difficult for us.”