Telikom diversing services, keeping up with current trend

By CLARISSA MOI
TELIKOM PNG has diversified its business to keep up with the demand and strategically ventured into new market trends to fulfil its commitment of connecting Papua New Guinea over the last 65 years.
This was highlighted during the company’s 65th anniversary of providing telecommunication services to the country which was celebrated in Port Moresby yesterday.
Kumul Telikom Holdings Ltd group acting chairman Rueben Kautu said Telikom had come a long way and had seen the changes in the telecommunication services in the country from an analogue system to digital.
“During the world war communications was by morse code, telegraphs, telex and 65 years later we are in the digital space: wireless systems, optic fibre, data and mobile phones,” he said.
“We pulled in the first subsea cable – the APNG2 terminating at Ela Beach Port Moresby in 2006, pulled in a second subsea cable (PPC1) terminating in Madang in 2013, pulled in fibre over the power line from Madang to Lae and built a Broadband Network (NBN1) in 2015.
“I am truly proud to say that all of these achievements were planned, installed, implemented and commissioned by our PNG engineers and technical staff.
“We have some very smart engineers and technicians of the highest calibre comparable to anyone of the same profession globally and we must be proud of all these achievements.”
Kautu said Telikom’s customer base had grown over the years and would continue to grow.
He said that the company had challenges with competition and urged staff and management to work together to drive the business forward.
Telikom PNG acting chief executive officer Amos Tepi said throughout the 65 years, the organisation had progressed through Post and Telegraph (P&T), then, in October 1982 became known as Post and Telecommunication Corporation.
“In 1996, PTC was further split into three entities; Telikom PNG Ltd, Post PNG Ltd and the PNG Telecommunications Authority (Pangtel, now known as Nicta),” Tepi said. “Telikom PNG Ltd was corporatised and is essentially responsible for providing telecommunications for profit with consideration to its community service obligations.
“Since then, Telikom PNG have diversified its profile, acquiring Datec PNG Ltd, EMTV, FM100 and PNG Directories.”