Definition of Data

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Main Focus of Document

Outlines the government's plans regarding ICT

Target Beneficiaries or Sector

general public

Key Elements

The key objectives and details found within this policy include:
BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE 
In Papual New Guinea (PNG), the digital divide is exacerbated by geography. Rural locations have little or no access to ICT. This situation is less tolerable because most of the inhabitants of PNG live in the rural areas, making up to 85% of the entire population of the country. In urban locations, where access is more prevalent, the quality of available ICT is often very poor. One of the key factors compounding the digital divide in PNG has been the absence of a National ICT policy framework that is necessary to create an enabling environment and to assist PNG to deploy, harness and exploit ICT for socio-economic development. 

The principles which guide the National ICT Policy 2008 are: 
• improving the lives of ordinary Papua New Guineans, in accordance with the National Directive Principles of the National Constitution, which stipulates that there must be equity in participation and benefit in the development of PNG; 
• facilitating equity of access to ICT by all citizens; 
• overcoming the impediments to ICT development to enable PNG to achieve the required levels of national development, reflecting the aspirations of its people; 
• encouraging the establishment of efficient and effective industry structures for the ICT sector; and 
• establishing political and administrative institutions and processes that facilitate ICT objectives efficiently and effectively. 

The Policy states that the government intends to increase access to telecommunications services in rural areas across PNG by initiating competition, for example.
STRATEGIES - COMMUNITY SERVICE OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION 
(a) Phased introduction of open competition 
The phased introduction of open competition, initially in the mobile sector and subsequently across all sectors, represents a substantial structural change to the ICT sector in PNG. These reforms, together with the transformation of Telikom PNG into a viable and efficient competitor, are expected to provide a framework for improving access to telecommunications services across the country. 
(b) Mobile mandatory roll out obligations 
The mobile licences issued by the ICCC incorporates mandatory roll out obligations for mobile carriers, which are aimed at progressively extending access to mobile services over a 5-year period.

EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE COMPETITION 
TWO KEY NATIONAL INTEREST OBJECTIVES 
The primary national interest objective for the government is the staged introduction of effective and sustainable competition to deliver market discipline and economic benefits. 
The second, but equally critical, national interest objective is a transformed and efficient Telikom PNG. 
Telikom PNG is an important and strong state-owned enterprise. But it needs to improve its management and operational practices and service levels to business consumers and the general public. Government policy seeks to achieve, under the auspices of the Minister for Public Enterprises and the Independent Public Business Corporation, the comprehensive transformation of Telikom PNG into a robust and sustainable business. 
This will be achieved by allowing time for the transformation to take place - but not at the expense of competition. 

OPEN COMPETITION THE AIM 
The ultimate aim of the government is to introduce open competition in all ICT sectors. 
Open competition means that there are no restrictions on the form of competition that can take place. Under open competition, the structure of the ICT sector in PNG would be characterised by a range of different service providers. 
1. At the one extreme, service providers may compete solely on the basis of their own network infrastructure. They could fully bypass Telikom PNG's network to provide end-to-end services to consumers, interconnecting with other networks as required. Given the relatively small size of the PNG market, it is unlikely that open competition would support more than one (in addition to Telikom PNG) full facilities-based provider. 
2. At the other extreme, service providers may compete solely on the basis of resale-based competition. These competitors would rely on Telikom PNG (or possibly on other wholesale providers) for end-to-end network services, but would provide their own retailing functions such as advertising, billing and customer service. 
3. In between these extremes, are service providers that would purchase some network components from Telikom PNG (or other wholesale providers) and combine these with their own network infrastructure (such as long-distance and international transmission) and retailing functions to provide end-to-end services to all consumers on interconnected networks. 
Open competition provides the best means of delivering benefits to consumers over the long-term by driving: 
• innovation, differentiation and choice; 
• efficient investment and production practices; and 
• improvements in service quality and/or lower prices

TRANSFORMATION OF TELIKOM PNG 
It is critical to the success of the ICT sector in PNG that Telikom PNG is transformed into an efficient company, possibly in collaboration with a private sector partner (in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) type structure), capable of competing on its merits against new and efficient entrants. This is important because under open competition Telikom PNG's networks will need to provide the essential building blocks for the majority of services provided to consumers. In the absence of an efficient incumbent network, new entrants into the market will have the incentive to inefficiently duplicate infrastructure rather than utilise the incumbent's networks.

Policy/Regulation Mirrors

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