PNG Telecommunication Companies merger to be completed

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 The  merging of  Papua New Guinea's telecommunication companies Telikom and bmobile into a single operator is expected to be completed by June, according to State Enterprises Minister William Duma.

Mr Duma says, the companies had their own structures, payroll system and assets so the merger would not be straight forward.


“When you look at employees and assets, we have to have alignment,” he said.

“There are many technical issues that are involved, including the assets that both companies have.

“But we are working to completing the merger by June.”

Five years ago, the Government invested in a national broadband project that provided Telikom with a converged 4G communications network. Subsequently, bmobile’s phased upgrade, completed this year, saw bmobile’s RediSIM users enjoying 4GLTE network capabilities.

This were part of the integral efforts by Kumul Telikom Holdings Limited (KTHL) to achieve the merger and consolidation of the mobile business as part of the Government’s telecommunication reform directives to have a single mobile network. It is the last important piece in KTHL’s efforts to provide competent, affordable and competitive mobile communications.

State owned enterprise (SOE) reforms introduced by the Government in October 2019, provided a number of key business components that included greater governance and accountability.

It also demanded a greater effort in the delivery of core SOE objectives: the provision of accessible, affordable and reliable services while developing an appropriate return on investment.

The KTHL mobile network integration was the first major investment in its infrastructure undertaken by the company over the last three years.

The National Executive Council approved the merger as part of the reform and work began in 2018.


The National / PNG Ehow

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