Undersea cable a big leap forward for PNG: Maru

THE Government is starting one of the most significant investments in the information and communications technology space with the undersea submarine cable from Sydney, says National Planning and Monitoring Minister Richard Maru.
He said the Government was also going to start a link between Port Moresby and Wutung on the border with Indonesia to make internet more accessible to the rest of the country.
“We are talking to our regulator National Information and Communication Technology Authority (Nicta) in the mobile space by looking at co-signing agreements, and a law that will allow new mobile carriers to come into the country,” Maru said. “We need the legislation to allow new companies to come into the mobile space to co-sign in the infrastructure provided by both Digicel and Telikom.
“As far as the government is concerned, these companies have already recovered their investment in the sector and there is no reason why we shouldn’t bring through this legislation.”
He advised Nicta to bring the legislation through.
“Our government must to create more competition and reduce the cost of internet, mobile banking and every other information and communications technology service in this country.”