(Left to Right) Garie Pimental, MD of SE Asia - ABS, Charles Punaha, CEO of NICTA, Kila Gulo Vui, Director Economics, Consumer, & International Affairs of NICTA, Sinton Spence, Director, AGSL
Bermuda - January 17th, 2017 ABS announced it has been granted the Network, Applications and Gateway Operator licenses to serve Papua New Guinea (PNG) from the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA). The licenses awarded will allow ABS to operate as a telecom operator as well as a satellite service provider.
ABS is the first international satellite operator to incorporate a company in PNG, known as ABS Global Satellite Limited (AGSL) to provide information communication technology (ICT) services, registered with the Investment Promotions Authority. ABS has been in partnership with NICTA since 2008, which has resulted in a number of orbital slot positions around the world brought into use by ABS by deploying several satellites currently at such orbital locations. AGSL has met all due diligence requirements and its license applications were approved by the NICTA Board on December 16, 2016. The three Individual Operator Licenses granted by NICTA are technology neutral and now give AGSL the rights to provide ICT services in accordance with NICT (Operator Licensing) Regulation 2010.
ABS initially plans to set up a major teleport in Port Moresby to provide connectivity from its Asian gateway though the ABS-6 satellite which will bring cost effective internet connectivity and VSAT services into the country. From the gateway hub, we will also offer more affordable internet access to remotes in underserved rural regions and outlying islands transforming the market with accessible and reliable services.
ABS will be primarily engaged in satellite based or satellite support telecom infrastructure, but where necessary will deploy fiber or microwave to complement the connectivity requirements. Cellular mobile service is also allowed under the license and may be contemplated in the future.
The approval of the telecommunication licenses is an important milestone and development for ABS in the South Pacific region. The challenge in the Pacific has been to deliver high quality resilient and cost effective voice and data solutions. Improvement in connectivity paves an opportunity for sustainable growth in PNG and is central to bridging the gap with its rural areas and neighboring countries, said Tom Choi, CEO of ABS. PNG is the land of the unexpected, and we at ABS are happy to bring competition into the market place to enable the provision of more affordable telecom services to the ultimate benefit of the PNG populace.
Mr. Charles Punaha, CEO of NICTA, commented, PNG internet penetration remains below 10%, which is very low on a global scale. This is mainly because the cost of rolling out a network in PNG is very expensive, compounded by the topographical conditions of the country, with isolated communities. We are pleased at the entry of the first satellite operator into the country to bring competition for the provision of ICT services which will result in more economical pricing. This will in turn trigger a higher demand for services supporting the development of the country.
About ABS:
ABS is one of the fastest growing global satellite operators in the world. ABS offers a complete range of tailored solutions including broadcasting, data and telecommunication services to broadcasters, service providers, enterprises and government organizations.
ABS operates a fleet of satellites; ABS-2, ABS-2A, ABS-3A, ABS-4/Mobisat-1, ABS-6 and ABS-7. The satellite fleet covers 93% of the world's population across the Americas, Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, CIS and Russia.
Headquartered in Bermuda, ABS has offices in the United States, UAE, South Africa and Asia. ABS is majority owned by funds managed by the European Private Equity firm Permira. The Permira funds acquired ABS in 2010.
For more information, visit www.absatellite.com
About NICTA:
The National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) is a government agency responsible for the regulation and licensing of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in Papua New Guinea.
NICTA regulates broadcasting, the internet, radio communications and telecommunications.
NICTA was established on the 29th of October, 2010, as the sole converged regulator and licensing authority of the ICT industry in PNG. This followed the adoption by the PNG Parliament in November 2009 of the National Information and Communications Technology Act 2009 (the NICT Act).
The aim of the Act is to ensure the ICT industry contributes meaningfully to the long-term economic and social development of PNG.
NICTA works closely with all stakeholders while ensuring industry compliance with license conditions, codes and standards.
NICTA also monitors the effects of regulations to ensure they are responsive to the wider community's needs.
For more information, visit: www.nicta.gov.pg
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
08/12/2025
DENVER MediaKind, a global provider of cloud-based video streaming technology announced today that it is acquiring the video business of Harmonic Inc. for appro...
08/12/2025
NEW YORK Nielsen has announced that its Audience Segments from Nielsen Marketing Cloud (NMC) are now available across the Amazon Ads marketplace, including the ...
08/12/2025
Marshall Electronics showcases the CV355-27X-ND3 Optical Zoom NDI (NDI HX2, NDI HX3) Camera at ISE 2026 (Booth 4N900). Designed for users seeking high-quality ...
08/12/2025
Cinnafilm today announced the immediate availability of IPx LIVE and Tachyon LIVE, delivering broadcast-grade, real-time IP video transcoding and motion-compens...
08/12/2025
Following a successful 45th anniversary year in 2024, Hiltron reports increasing demand for its wide range of satellite communication equipment manufacturing, p...
08/12/2025
Eurovision winner Niamh Kavanagh is the first celebrity to be revealed for the s...
08/12/2025
Changing children's lives for good: A staggering 4.6 million raised in the 2025 appeal
The people of Ireland and people all over the world have once again...
08/12/2025
It's murder on the dancefloor as The Traitors Ireland legend Paudie Moloney ...
06/12/2025
In a live broadcast from the Reagan National Defense Forum, L3Harris Chair and CEO Christopher Kubasik joined Morgan Brennan on CNBCs Closing Bell: Overtime. Ku...
06/12/2025
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. A new survey from Pixitmedia by Datacore revealed a major shift in the Media & Entertainment industry in media archiving, with 85% of resp...
06/12/2025
HACKENSACK, N.J. LiveU has announced that the national public broadcaster Czech Television has completed one of the largest LiveU live production deployments fo...
06/12/2025
NEW YORK The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) presented the Excellence in Production Technology Emmy Award to NASA+ and Dr. Tom Leight...
05/12/2025
2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Curt Gowdy Jr. - Master Storyteller, Nati...
05/12/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Veritone's Sean King on the Power of Mining Video, Audio DataThe company's Data Refinery offers users total control and governance over da...
05/12/2025
Platinum White Paper: Inside the Nashville Predators' Unified, Flexible, Sca...
05/12/2025
Netflix Reaches Agreement To Acquire Warner Bros. Following Planned WBD SplitThe deal does not include WBDs sports assets like TNT Sports (US, UK, LatAm), Euros...
05/12/2025
FOX Sports Returns to Indianapolis for Primetime Broadcast of Big Ten Championsh...
05/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Digital Engagement & Monetization Workshop Tackles the ...
05/12/2025
Atlanta United Lights Up New Emory Healthcare Studio With First Live Broadcast f...
05/12/2025
As Messi Takes the Pitch, MLS, Apple, NEP Roll Out Largest MLS Cup Production Ev...
05/12/2025
ESPN Enters College Football's Most Intense Month With Elevated Workflows fo...
05/12/2025
It's about that time! Awards season is in full swing, and the Film Independe...
05/12/2025
Every year, Spotify Wrapped offers a personalized look back at the audio that defined your year. It's a snapshot of your listening habits, designed to tell ...
05/12/2025
In 2025, Spotify's EQUAL, GLOW, and RADAR programs celebrated women, LGBTQIA , and emerging artists who turned moments into milestones. From breaking record...
05/12/2025
In our latest blog, we explain how Wi-Fi 7 rollouts can drive consumer loyalty with value-add services such as consumer cybersecurity. We also explore how this ...
05/12/2025
LOS ANGELES Netflix announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion....
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Nielsens Gracenote has launched Gracenote Content Connect, a new ad platform that provides agencies, brands, supply-side platforms (SSPs) and demand-si...
05/12/2025
NEW YORK In an most important update to the workings of deal-based programmatic advertising, IAB Tech Lab has released version 1.0 of its Deals API for public c...
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Pass the turkey. Pass the stuffing. Pass the cranberry sauce. All are common requests of Americans celebrating Thanksgiving Day with family and f...
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Iris, the new cloud-connected camera control platform, has officially launched with features that turn virtually any PTZ camera into a software-connect...
05/12/2025
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. Netflix announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion....
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Iris, the new cloud-connected camera control platform, has officially launched with features that turn virtually any PTZ camera into a software-connect...
05/12/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has approved AT&T's $1.02 billion acquisition of spectrum from UScellular in a decision that was issued sho...
05/12/2025
The Best Coldplay Songs: 21 Tracks That Shoot for the Stars From Yellow to Viva La Vida, Fix You to Paradise, this playlist goes back to the start.
December ...
05/12/2025
Zafris Lecture Series Brings Nabil Ayers to Berklee The 32nd annual James G. Zafris Distinguished Lecture series was held on Thursday, November 13, with guest...
05/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils the First Look for Land of Sin' - Premier...
05/12/2025
Introducing New Perks to Help You Get Even More from LinkedIn Premium Published on Dec 5, 2025 Categories: Company News, Product News
LinkedIn Corporate Co...
05/12/2025
Friday 5 December 2025
A new Game of Thrones Tale: Official trailer for Sky Exc...
05/12/2025
Back to All News
Don Lee, Lee Jin-uk, and Lalisa Manobal to Star in Netflix Act...
05/12/2025
Tis the season of giving once again and this year we've taken our Give Back Fridays' concept and turned it on its head.
In the autumn we were approach...
05/12/2025
Brayden Gogis doesn't remember a time when he wasn't completely fixated on games in all forms. In preschool, when they asked us to dress up as what we ...
05/12/2025
The Grinch steals the spotlight as the theme for The Late Late Toy Show 2025
Tune in tonight at 9:35pm on RT One and worldwide on RT Player
#LateLateToyShow...
05/12/2025
RT Announces New Presenters of Flagship News Programmes
New RT Six One News co-presenter Tommy Meskill
Sarah McInerney & Justin McCarthy join Morning Ir...
04/12/2025
ToolsOnAir Blackmagic Design HyperDeck Event Presets for just:in mac pro 2025 & ...
04/12/2025
ToolsOnAir AJA Ki Pro Event Presets for just:in mac pro 2025 & just:in linux
More Details:Starting with version 5.5, both just:in mac pro and just:in linux sol...
04/12/2025
Wangu Kanuri from Kenya and Godwin Asediba from Ghana are two of this years finalists for Thomsons Young Journalist of the Year Award. The pair are runners-up i...
04/12/2025
SVG Sit-Down: ProximaVision's Claudio Lisman on Why Tethered Drones Could Be...
04/12/2025
SVG Campus Shot Callers: Imry Halevi, Senior Associate Director of Athletics, Co...
(Left to Right) Garie Pimental, MD of SE Asia - ABS, Charles Punaha, CEO of NICTA, Kila Gulo Vui, Director Economics, Consumer, & International Affairs of NICTA, Sinton Spence, Director, AGSL
