WHILE economic challenges and political stability remain pressing issues in Papua New Guinea, researchers are exploring modern solutions to drive growth and development within communities.
The entry of Vodafone PNG has diversified the choices for internet users, leading to a split among consumers who previously relied on Digicel and Telikom. However, concerns over mobile network prices persist.
Dr. Amanda H. A. Watson of the Department of Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University highlighted that mobile network prices have been high since 2020, causing Papua New Guinea to rank poorly in terms of internet affordability compared to other countries.
“The research we are conducting involves monitoring mobile internet prices available to consumers in Papua New Guinea,” Dr. Watson explained.
“PNG has three licensed mobile network operators, all of which are providing mobile internet services.”
In a presentation by Dr. Watson and Jonathan Zureo, a lecturer at Divine Word University, findings clearly indicated that mobile network prices remain prohibitively expensive for many users in PNG.
The researchers argue that prices should be reduced to facilitate opportunities for progress and enable growth and development.
The presentation further demonstrated how mobile networks could be leveraged to boost business profitability, support online learning for students, and serve as valuable tools for generating economic growth.
