PNG gets its first mobile WiMAX network

By Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 02 June 2009 10:41

Strategy

Telikom PNG has chosen Alvarion to deploy the first mobile WiMAX network in Papua New Guinea.

The network has gone live in Port Moresby and is expected to provide connectivity to approximately 1500 users. The second network to be deployed in the city of Lae is planned to go live in the second quarter of 2009. PNG plans to expand the network to all regional cities by the end of 2009 as part of the master plan to achieve nationwide coverage for 55,000 end-users. Alvarion has partnered with another Israeli company, Telrad Networks, to deploy the network. 

Alvarion had been named as the supplier in Australia of fixed WiMAX to the Optus/Elders joint venture Opel, killed off by the incoming Rudd Government. It is also the supplier of fixed WiMAX gear to Queensland based Allegro Networks and to Fintel in Fiji where Unwired Fiji, a company with close ties but no formal connection to Australia's Unwired, has just announced plans to upgrade its proprietary Navini network to Motorola mobile WiMAX.

Australia's Unwired, meanwhile is believed to be close to naming its mobile WiMAX supplier after trialling gear from a number of suppliers.
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