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| Telikom, Vodafone Sign Historic Network-Sharing Deal |
Telikom PNG and Vodafone PNG have signed a landmark Co-Location and Network-Sharing Agreement, allowing the two rival telecom operators to share towers, fibre and other network infrastructure instead of duplicating builds. Telikom CEO Amos Tepi called it a "historic first" for PNG's telecom industry, showing that competitors can cooperate for the country's benefit.
A key part of the deal is a shift to a "bill and keep" interconnection model, meaning subscribers calling or texting between the two networks will no longer face interconnection charges. Mr Tepi thanked Vodafone for agreeing to this, saying it reflects the genuine partnership behind the agreement and should boost traffic between the networks. This builds on a 2022 interconnection deal that first let subscribers on both networks call and text each other.
Infrastructure sharing is central to the agreement — rather than each company building separate towers in the same areas, they'll now use each other's existing infrastructure, cutting duplication and speeding up rollout. Mr Tepi acknowledged PNG's difficult terrain (mountains, islands, remote communities) makes connectivity hard, and said no single operator can solve this alone.
Expected benefits include stronger signals, more reliable connections, faster infrastructure deployment, and freed-up investment redirected toward underserved wards and communities. Mr Tepi credited NICTA and the Government for promoting infrastructure sharing, and linked the deal to Telikom's transformation into a technology-driven company supporting PNG's digital economy, including work on digital public infrastructure with the ICT Department.
Rollout will happen in phases, with technical teams assessing sites for integration. Mr Tepi thanked the engineers, lawyers and negotiators involved, noting it required patience and goodwill. The two companies will keep competing commercially while cooperating on infrastructure — a model Mr Tepi believes could redefine telecom competition in PNG, ultimately delivering lower costs and wider digital access nationwide.