Telco customers increase: Sau

By SHIRLEY MAULUDU
TELIKOM PNG and bmobile have seen an increase of about 60,000 subscribers following the announcement the telecommunication companies made in July to reduce internet prices.
Interim chief executive and managing director for Kumul Telikom Holdings (KTH) group Dr Mosey Sau confirmed this yesterday. Sau told The National that the response to the announcement had been “very positive” with the group hoping to make a 10 to 20 per cent profit by at the end of this month.
“We have increased by about 60,000 subscribers,” Sau said.
“We have captured about 1 per cent of the market share per month since we started.
“It’s been very positive so far.”
Commending the outgoing Minister for Communication, Information and Energy Rainbo Paita, Sau said: “It was all driven by our good minister.”
Paita described the initiative as a major achievement by state-owned telecommunication companies.
“That was one of the major milestone achievements we had in the last five months to reduce the cost of communication, especially data rates,” Paita said. “I think a lot of people are enjoying those reductions.
“For the last four or five months since we reduced the price, the two telcos were able to make some profit based on the volume which has increased.
“It’s been a very positive change as opposed to some views that the companies were already struggling and if we dropped the prices further, we would not be making money. “We took a bold step in reducing the prices in the hopes that we will attract more volume in terms of customers – and the subscribers have really gone up.
“That’s been in the major towns, now the next phase of the project would be to extend towers into the rural areas,” the minister said.
On average, internet prices have been reduced by 70 to 80 per cent.