Today’s telecom news includes announcements on Telikom PNG and Digicel, Orange Botswana, Spectrum, Ohio FTTH Network, among others.
Telikom PNG and Digicel Sign Tower-Sharing Agreement Covering More Than 1,800 Existing Sites
Digicel Papua New Guinea and state-owned Telikom PNG have signed a telecommunications tower-sharing agreement to improve infrastructure utilization and support mobile coverage expansion. Announced on October 15, the arrangement brings together operators with approximately 600-plus Telikom towers and more than 1,200 Digicel towers. The agreement allows equipment co-location on suitable existing sites rather than requiring separate towers at every location. Both companies will continue operating independently in the retail telecommunications market. Telikom previously signed a similar infrastructure-sharing agreement with Vodafone PNG in August. The companies have not disclosed how many sites will initially be shared, the commercial agreement’s value or a timetable for additional coverage activation.
Botswana Invests P34.5 Million in 12 Mobile Sites Along 1,900-km Trans-Kalahari Highway
Botswana has invested approximately P34.5 million ($2.5 million) to expand mobile broadband and voice coverage along the 1,900-km Trans-Kalahari Highway corridor. The program includes 12 telecommunications sites funded through the country’s Universal Access and Service Fund. Orange Botswana is participating in the initiative, which targets connectivity gaps affecting rural communities, commercial transportation and businesses along the regional route. The corridor links Namibia’s Walvis Bay and Windhoek through Botswana toward South Africa. Further network improvements are planned through infrastructure sharing and optimization involving Botswana Telecommunications Corporation and Mascom. Additional coverage improvements are expected by the end of the next financial year. Individual site capacities and radio technologies were not disclosed.
Spectrum Expands Ohio FTTH Network to 2,600 Additional Homes and Businesses
Charter Communications has expanded its Spectrum fiber broadband network to nearly 2,600 additional homes and businesses in Logan County, Ohio. Announced on October 15, the new service availability covers previously underserved locations around Bellefontaine, Logansville, Quincy and DeGraff. The network supports residential and business broadband speeds of up to 1 Gbps. The local deployment forms part of Charter’s nationwide rural broadband construction program, backed by more than $7 billion in private investment. The broader initiative targets more than 1.7 million additional locations and approximately 100,000 miles of new fiber infrastructure. Charter has not disclosed a separate investment amount or fiber-route length for the Logan County project.
