Papua New Guinea’s national broadcaster, NBC-PNG, has installed an AM transmitter to improve radio services in the country’s highlands provinces.

The transmitter, built by Nautel, a Canadian-based company, was installed in Goroka, capital of the Eastern Highlands Province. It was inaugurated on 15 July.

It is aimed at ensuring that people living in small population centres in far-flung places can get easy access to radio services.

Because the pandemic and lockdowns prevented a team coming to Papua New Guinea to assist, staff from NBC-PNG handled the installation themselves. They were helped by a locally based system integrator, South Pacific Systems Private Ltd.

The installation was deemed a success after repeated tests taking into account the signal strength, distance and other parameters.

The transmitter will provide improved radio services to people living in a wide swathe of the country including the central and eastern highlands, Morobe Province and the Gulf Province.

From left to right

Russel Woruba, Deputy Secretary, Department of Information and Communication

Joe Wafewa, NBC-PNG, Deputy Managing Director/Chief Engineer

Bannie Popate, NICTA- Spectrum Management Office

Kora Nou, Managing Director, NBC- PNG