Digicel will continue investment, says Masiu

DIGICEL will continue to maintain and invest in building its network coverage in rural areas to make sure the country is connected through mobile phones, Information, Communications and Technology Minister Timothy Masiu says.
Middle Ramu MP Jonny Alonk was concerned about Digicel asking his district to pay for materials to build towers in his district.
Alonk said he felt that this was unfair because in the end, people would still pay for their services and money would still go to the company.
“We do appreciate the effort that communication companies’ efforts in reaching our rural areas with their services but I feel paying for materials to build towers is a rip-off,” he said.
Alonk queried the purpose of having communication companies operating in the country because he said he received mixed responses when he approached them about providing services in his district.
“Some gave me favourable responses while others did not,” he said.
“Are they trying to serve our people or their own interests?”
Masiu said communication companies were here in the country to provide service as well as conduct their businesses.
“Services are meant to be paid for, that’s the way things operate in our country,” he said.
Masiu said companies did not provide communication services in certain rural areas because based on their surveys, they found that it was not economical.
“They cannot go in rural areas to set up their towers and start providing their services without assurances and evidences of economic returns,” he said.
Masiu thanked certain members of parliament who had already invested in having Digicel set up towers in their electorates.