TELIKOM PARTNERS WITH DIGICEL TO SHARE TOWERS

CAPTION: Telikom Limited and Digicel PNG sign collocation agreement at Telikom Rumana, Port Moresby

BY LETHISA KOLOKOL

TELIKOM Limited has signed a collocation agreement with Digicel (PNG) Limited to share existing towers, a move designed to cut costs and enhance efficiency for both telecommunications companies.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Telikom Chief Executive Officer Mr. Amos Tepi and Digicel PNG Limited CEO Mr. Brett Goschen today at the Telikom Rumana in Port Moresby.

Telikom has 600-plus existing towers while Digicel has more than 1,200 existing towers. Under the collocation agreement, the two telcos will share existing towers in the same locations instead of building new ones.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Digicel PNG CEO Mr. Brett Goschen said Telikom and Digicel will remain competitors in the marketing space.

However, the partnership strengthens access to infrastructure while freeing up capital for both companies. He added that the partnership will allow connectivity to reach more areas while strengthening the national government’s broader digital connectivity agenda.

Similar sentiments were shared by Telikom CEO Mr. Amos Tepi, who noted the long-standing relationship between the two companies.

“This is a step forward for Telikom; however, the partnership is not a new thing, it stems from a long-standing relationship. Telstra shares a deeply rooted historical relationship with Telikom Limited, spanning decades,” Mr. Tepi said.

Mr. Tepi emphasized that the partnership is strictly for infrastructure sharing specifically towers and equipment and that Telikom and Digicel will remain fierce competitors in the telecommunications market.

As a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE), Telikom Limited is moving forward with the government’s digital transformation agenda. The utility signed a similar infrastructure sharing agreement with Vodafone in August.