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PNG Frequently
Asked Questions
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via Papua New Guinea
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via Papua New Guinea
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Please note -- Whilst all care has been taken in preparing and maintaining the FAQ's about Papua New Guinea it is not possible to be able verify every answer. The information is provided 'as is' and I can not accept responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from the use of this information.
Please verify the information for yourself from a government source, travel agent or other similar organisation.
This database does not contain information about other countries. It is only about Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Communication List of Categories
Do you have a possible inclusion for this "Communication" category of FAQ? If you do then please let me know.
- How does the use of mobile phones affect Papua New Guineans?
- how may mobile phone subscribers in PNG?
- What is Concatenated SMS?
- How long can an SMS message be?
- Where can I find a list of the frequencies used by the National Broadcasting Commssion? (NBC)
- When Digicel start in PNG?
- Does PNG have CDMA coverage?
- Is VHF used in PNG
- Can I use cell phones in PNG?
- Who offered the first online shop selling in Kina?
- When was the first Papua New Guinea Philatelic Bureau started?
- When were the first local telephone systems established in PNG?
- When was the Thursday Island — Port Moresby telegraph link opened?
- When did Postal and Telecommunications history begin in PNG?
- What sort of mobile telephone system is used in PNG?
- internet provider?
- Who are the Telikom Board Members / Air Niugini Limited Board members?
- Where can I find out about Telikom PNG?
- How old is Telikom PNG?
- How many telephone subscribers are there in PNG?
- How many telephone exchanges serve the National Capital District (NCD)?
- Outside the NCD where are the other main telephone exchanges in PNG?
- What do you know about the PSTN run by Telikom PNG?
- When were the first telephone cables laid in PNG?
- How is PNG Telikom connected to the rest of the world?
- Does PNG Telikom have a Domestic Satellite Network?
- How do people in the rural area get access to Telikom Services?
- Is HF radio still used in PNG?
- Does Telikom provide any services to ships using PNG waters?
- What are the forms of communication on Fergusson Island?
- I want to contact Sebastian Miyoni, original member of Sanguma. can you help?
- Is VoIP (Voice over IP) with webcam possible from Port Moresby Hotels?
- During the 1930's, what was the Call Sign for the AWA and Guinea Airways radio facility at Lae?
- Is there a postal address I can use to directly contact a student at the University of Goroka?
- hi i live in england and was wondering if u could tell me the overseas code i would need in order to contact an old friend of mine, who lives in Port Moresby in PNG, thanks
- What is the fastest internet you can have in png, because i may move there and i dont wanna be caught up with a trashy 56k connection while every other island around it has 10mbps cable.
- Hello
Can you please provide us with the email address for the hospital on Misima Island. We are trying to contact people on one of the outer islands and need the email connection.
Jim Huegli
- does png have an active psdn service? if it does, who runs it?
- I understand you have a GSM mobile phone service in PNG, and I would like to know, WHAT IS THE MONTHLY CHARGE FOR YOUR POSTPAID MOBILE PHONE SERVICE?
- Where can I find out about mobile telephones in PNG?
- Can you explain the mobile phone situation thanks. Is it costly making calls and ringing Australia. What do you recommend, staying there for approx 1 year, thanks.
- Where can mobile phones be used in PNG?
- Are there any plans to expand the Mobile Phone Network?
- Do you have Post Paid Mobile Phone Service in PNG, and what is the Monthly Service charge?
- When was the Department of Post and Telegraph established in PNG?
- When did the Department of Post and Telegraph become Post and Telecommunication Corporation?
- When was the Post and Telecommunication Corporation split up?
- Who was the first person to run Radio Madang?
- Is it possible to have a satellite telephone in PNG?
- internet speed?
- Who are the internet providers in PNG?
- What was VIG?
- What was the first medium wave radio station to operate in the Territorory P and NG?
- What year was radio station 9PA officially opened in Port Moresby?
- Who was considered to be the voice of the Anzac Day broadcast from PNG in the 1970's?
- How does the use of mobile phones affect Papua New Guineans?
The same possibly more as the use of mobile phones in other countries. Many PNG people now have telephones in remote areas where a wired network did not exist. Many peple who did not have access to telephine communications now can access family, friends and businesses.
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- how may mobile phone subscribers in PNG?
At a guess a couple of hundred thousand
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- What is Concatenated SMS?
This feature allows the user to send a longer then 160 characters SMS, turning it into multiple SMS messages, with links to each other, allowing the recipients to view the message as one again.
You will be charged for each message block of 160 characters or less.
Some mobile phones do not support this feature.
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- How long can an SMS message be?
Each message can be up to 160 characters in length when Latin alphabets are used. For non-Latin alphabets, such as Chinese ands Arabic, the length drops to 70 characters.
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- Where can I find a list of the frequencies used by the National Broadcasting Commssion? (NBC)
Try http://www.nbc.com.pg/tunein.htm or http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/radio_freq.html
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- When Digicel start in PNG?
It was launched as the second mobile operator on the 20th of July, 2007.
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- Does PNG have CDMA coverage?
No.
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- Is VHF used in PNG
Yes, of course it is in use although due to the many mountains it is not always successful.
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- Can I use cell phones in PNG?
PNG is in the process of implementing global roaming for mobile telephones from Australia. It is now possible for people with the right equipment to use this in PNG in the same areas as the PNG mobile system. International SMS to and from Telstra and Optus customers is possible from PNG mobiles.
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- Who offered the first online shop selling in Kina?
DataNets PNG with their Easy Shop. This was closely followed by the Air Niugini online booking engine.
Prior to this Airlines of PNG offered online sales in currencies other than Kina. According to the IRC rules of 2000 all sales in PNG must be in PNG Kina so it is assumed that the APNG site was overseas. (i.e. the sale was being made overseas for travel in PNG)
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- When was the first Papua New Guinea Philatelic Bureau started?
The Papua New Guinea Philatelic Bureau was started in 1959.
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- When were the first local telephone systems established in PNG?
The first local telephone systems were established by the Germans at the towns of Rabaul and Herbershore (Kokopo) in 1907 with small exchanges of 10 and 12 lines respectively. These two exchanges were interconnected.
Port Moresby's first local telephone service opened in 1910.
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- When was the Thursday Island — Port Moresby telegraph link opened?
The Thursday Island — Port Moresby telegraph link was opened to public business on 26 February 1913.
This link was owned and operated by the Australian Postmaster — General’s Department. The Germans established New Guinea’s first radio telegraph station at Bitapaka near Rabaul in 1914.
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- When did Postal and Telecommunications history begin in PNG?
Postal and Telecommunications history began in 1885 when Sir Peter Scratchley appointed Frank Lawes as POSTMASTER, HARBOUR MASTER, COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS and CHIEF CLERK.
The earliest letter known to pass through the newly established Port Moresby Post Office has on the envelope the postmark.
"Port Moresby
New Guinea
August 26 1885"
The Post Office in German New Guinea began in 1887.
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- What sort of mobile telephone system is used in PNG?
PNG Uses the GSM 900 digital system. This has now replaced the analogue system previously used in the country. It does not cover the whole country and not every town has coverage. Even areas of Port Moresby, the National Capital, do not have 100% coverage. -- No CDMA coverage
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- internet provider?
Internet Service Providers
Originally there were five Internet Service Providers distributing the bandwidth allocated by the government body Tiare. This has been reduced to four. The four surviving ISP's are -
Daltron -- http://www.daltron.com.pg
Data Nets -- http://www.datanets.com.pg
Datec -- http://www.datec.net.pg
Global Technologies -- http://www.global.net.pg
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- Who are the Telikom Board Members / Air Niugini Limited Board members?
Maybe this question should be in the politics area because it seems that the board members of most government run organistaions are changed at the drop of a hat.
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- Where can I find out about Telikom PNG?
Telikom PNG maintains a web site located at http://www.telikompng.com.pg. It is worth paying this site a visit.
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- How old is Telikom PNG?
Telikom started out as the Department of Post and Telegraphs, then became Post and Telecom Corporation (PTC) and is now known as Telikom PNG. It celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 1980 and Golden Jubilee in 2005
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- How many telephone subscribers are there in PNG?
As at March 2001, the network comprised more than 40 digital exchanges and remote units with total installed capacity of about 85,000 lines out of which about 62,200 are connected. About 50% of installed lines and connected subscribers are in the Southern Region. This includes the Port Moresby Area in the National Capital District (NCD) where almost ninety per cent of the regional telephone lines and subscribers are installed.
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- How many telephone exchanges serve the National Capital District (NCD)?
The NCD is presently served by three local exchanges at Boroko, Ela Beach and Gerehu. These exchanges are interconnected and integrated into the national network by an intra-city optical fibre transmission network. The three exchanges and their dependant remote switching units have a combined installed capacity of about 40,000 lines and connect about 30,000 subscribers.
Recently (April 2006) a mini exchange was installed at Jackson's airport.
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- Outside the NCD where are the other main telephone exchanges in PNG?
The other main regional transit and local exchanges that account for the remaining fifty percent installed lines and subscribers include Lae, Mt. Hagen, Tomavatur, Goroka and Madang. The others are Alotau, Wewak, Tabubil, Kimbe, Kokopo, Rabaul and Kavieng.
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- What do you know about the PSTN run by Telikom PNG?
The Telikom Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is now predominantly digital. Alcatel System 12 digital exchanges and the Telrad DMS series of digital exchanges are now installed at all urban and major traffic centres throughout the country. Small stand-alone digital exchanges, remote switching units and digital line concentrators are also installed at some of the smaller or remote centres.
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- When were the first telephone cables laid in PNG?
In 1907 the first cable was laid on Woodlark Island in Milne Bay Province connecting Bonagi and Kulumadau. In the same year the German administration laid cable between Rabaul and Herbertshoe (now Kokopo) in East New Britain. During the Second World War the Australian Army installed a 152 mile single line telephone cable from Port Moresby to Kokoda along the Kokoda Trail / Track.
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- How is PNG Telikom connected to the rest of the world?
Two international gateway telephone exchanges diversely located in Port Moresby and Lae provide international connection to the rest of the world on digital circuits via satellite and submarine cable. Majority of these connections terminate or transit through Australia via the Telstra and the Optus networks. Most of the traffic to Telstra is routed via the Australia-PNG submarine cable which was enhanced with the addition of digital modems in the mid 1990s. Other Telstra circuits are routed via the Intelsat satellite. International connections terminating or transiting on the Optus network are routed via satellite. Earth station facilities at Gerehu and Lae provide direct digital connections to the Optus network via the Optus A2 satellite. This arrangement enables international calls to or through Australia to be routed via the Telstra or the Optus network. Telikom also has direct digital links with other major international traffic destinations via the Intelsat satellite.
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- Does PNG Telikom have a Domestic Satellite Network?
The Domestic satellite service (DOMSAT) was introduced into the PNG national network with the establishment of a thin-route network in 1992. The interim DOMSAT, as it was then called, comprised of a master station in Port Moresby and eight VSAT-type earth stations located mainly at the operations sites of mining and exploration companies.
With subsequent expansion, the network now consists of an 11-metre hub linking 26 remote terminals nationwide with antenna sizes raging from 1.8m to 4.5m.
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- How do people in the rural area get access to Telikom Services?
Rural telecommunications services to the rural areas are presently provided through high frequency radio service, thin-route satellite systems, point-to-point and point-to-multipoint radio systems, wireless local loop etc. In addition, several institutions including health centres, mining companies, plantations, among others, operate private high frequency radio links to their respective headquarter offices.
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- Is HF radio still used in PNG?
High Frequency or HF radio remains a very important medium for PNG as it provides an effective communication link to outstations in rural areas beyond the reach of the microwave and VHF network. For these isolated communities, HF is often the only communication link with the outside world. It is also vital for safety of life at sea.
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- Does Telikom provide any services to ships using PNG waters?
Telikom provides a Coastal Radio Service (CRS) that alerts seamen of imminent dangers. The CRS transmits weather forecasts, strong wind and cyclone warnings, receiving distress signals from ships and people at sea, testing of ships radios and connecting calls from people at sea to subscribers on land. Although Coastal Radio Service is now being superseded by new technologies, the system still plays a vital role in the maritime service.
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- What are the forms of communication on Fergusson Island?
I do not know. I would imagine that Salamo would have telephone communication but it would only be very basic.
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- I want to contact Sebastian Miyoni, original member of Sanguma. can you help?
No, sorry I can not.
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- Is VoIP (Voice over IP) with webcam possible from Port Moresby Hotels?
Not really with the present infrastructure offered by Telikom PNG (Tiare / Pacific Mobile COmmunications) although big things have been rumoured for 2008.
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- During the 1930's, what was the Call Sign for the AWA and Guinea Airways radio facility at Lae?
Sorry I do not know this answer. Perhaps a reader can help?
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- Is there a postal address I can use to directly contact a student at the University of Goroka?
University of Goroka -- PO Box 1078, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. +675 732 3757
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- hi i live in england and was wondering if u could tell me the overseas code i would need in order to contact an old friend of mine, who lives in Port Moresby in PNG, thanks
The telephone access code for PNG is 675. You would have to add your own international dialing code in front of that. A Port Moresby number would start with 32 (i.e. 327 XXXX / 320 XXXX etc) An example of what your number would look like would be -- ISD Code 675 32X XXXX (some Port Moresby numbers also start with 30 i.e 675 30X XXXX
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- What is the fastest internet you can have in png, because i may move there and i dont wanna be caught up with a trashy 56k connection while every other island around it has 10mbps cable.
How much can you afford to pay? and where would you be living in the country?
If you can answer those questions then I can answer your question for you otherwise you may be stuck with something far less than 56K
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- Hello
Can you please provide us with the email address for the hospital on Misima Island. We are trying to contact people on one of the outer islands and need the email connection.
Jim Huegli
Sorry - do not know of any email address.
Friends have offered the following information that may help you.
Aunt Tapaita is the sister in charge of the Misima Hospital may be you can call her and get a start from there. Her number at work is 643 7455 and home number is 643 7132.
thanks to Titus Edoni for that answer.
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- does png have an active psdn service? if it does, who runs it?
PNG has a limited digital network run by Telikom PNG. It is gradually being rolled out to larger provincial towns but due to the age of the infrastructure this is proving to be difficult and speed is very slow. Satellite can be used in most areas if hooked back into the Telikom PNG network.
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- I understand you have a GSM mobile phone service in PNG, and I would like to know, WHAT IS THE MONTHLY CHARGE FOR YOUR POSTPAID MOBILE PHONE SERVICE?
I don't believe the B Mobile (Telikom) Post Paid service is in operation (yet)
New entrants Digicel -- http://digicelpng.com/ -- and Greencom may address this.
See Digicel's "Select" service -- http://digicelpng.com/PricePlans/postPaid.php
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- Where can I find out about mobile telephones in PNG?
Try the Bee Mobile pages at -- http://www.pacificmobile.com.pg/index.html also new entrant Digicel has a web site at -- http://digicelpng.com/
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- Can you explain the mobile phone situation thanks. Is it costly making calls and ringing Australia. What do you recommend, staying there for approx 1 year, thanks.
The PNG mobile phone system is currently (digital) GSM900 with limited global roaming capabilty.
If you already have an Australian mobile phone and it is not CDMA and it is not locked to an Aussie Telephone Supplier then I suggest you buy a "B Mobile" startup kit for K25 (About AUD12). This will give you K10 worth of calls and a PNG mobile phone number.
There are different rates depending on the time you make a call. Contact pmc@tiare.net.pg for information on rates. Visit their web site - a tariff page is located at http://www.tiare.net.pg/prepaid_tariffs.html
If you have the correct account with Optus and / or Telstra in Australia then you can use SIM's from those companies in PNG for short term but it would be cheaper to get a SIM from the local telephone provider in the long run.
Also new entrants Digicel -- http://digicelpng.com/ --and Greencom may have something to offer except they do not currently integrate with the Telikom fixed service network. It was supposed to have happened early Feb 2008 but has been delayed.
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- Where can mobile phones be used in PNG?
Mobile phone covereage is extremely limited in PNG. And where you have coverage it can be very poor. The "Bee Mobile" Network (GSM900) only cover the PNG side of main Island of New Guinea and then only in Port Moresby, Lae, Madang, Wewak, Goroka and Mount Hagen. (May 2005)
It is expanding and I believe that Rabaul, Buka and some other areas are now on line.(June 2007).
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- Are there any plans to expand the Mobile Phone Network?
Telikom / Bee Mobile, Pacific Mobile Communications in the face of competition from two other providers (Digicel -- http://digicelpng.com/ --and Greencom) is expanding the existing network along with the other two start up companies in a bid to retain customers.
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- Do you have Post Paid Mobile Phone Service in PNG, and what is the Monthly Service charge?
I believe this will be introduced soon. New entrants Digicel -- http://digicelpng.com/ --and Greencom also may address this issue.
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- When was the Department of Post and Telegraph established in PNG?
The Department of Post and Telegraph was established in 1955.
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- When did the Department of Post and Telegraph become Post and Telecommunication Corporation?
Post and Telegraph became Post and Telecommunication Corporation in 1982
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- When was the Post and Telecommunication Corporation split up?
Post and Telecommunication Corporation split up to become the PNG Telecom Technical Authority (PANGTEL), Telikom PNG Ltd and Post PNG Ltd under an act of Parliament in 1997.
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- Who was the first person to run Radio Madang?
Phil Charley ran the radio broadcasting station at Madang in 1971 after moving from Radio Eastern Highlands / Goroka
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- Is it possible to have a satellite telephone in PNG?
Yes. It is possible to buy handsets and use these as an emergency back up or for access to the telephone system in remote locations.
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- internet speed?
A simple answer is very S L O W.
Telikom PNG are in the process of rolling out ADSL but for most users a 64K or 128K leased line is all that you can expect. Dial up users often suffer horendous connection speeds but the infrastructure is not there for anything faster.
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- Who are the internet providers in PNG?
The Internet Service Providers come under the unmbrella of a fully owned Telikom Subsidiary -- Tiare.
Originally there were five Internet Service Providers distributing the bandwidth allocated by Tiare. This has been reduced to four. The four surviving ISP's are -Daltron -- http://www.daltron.com.pg
Datec -- http://www.datec.net.pg
Global Technologies -- http://www.global.net.pg
Online South Pacific -- http://www.online.net.pg - DataNets
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- What was VIG?
VIG was the spark gap radio station set up in 1913 by AWA. It was reconstructed in 1921 with valve transmitters. From 1935 VIG relayed on short wave the commercial programming from its sister station 4PM.
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- What was the first medium wave radio station to operate in the Territorory P and NG?
It was 4PM and it came into operation at 4pm on the 23rd of October 1935. The station was officialy opened by Sir Hubert Murray. It was closed during the Second World War. (4PM was operated from Port Moresby by Amalgamated Wireless of Australia)
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- What year was radio station 9PA officially opened in Port Moresby?
It is believed that it was opened by General Douglas MacArthur and the Ausatralian Broadcasting Commission Director-General, Lieut-Colonel Sir Charles Moses on the 24th of February 1944.
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- Who was considered to be the voice of the Anzac Day broadcast from PNG in the 1970's?
It was Sevese Oipi Morea from Vabukori. He was the voice of the Anzac Day broadcast from Port Moresby in the 1970's on Australian Broadcastin Commission (ABC) Radio in Port Moresby through 9PA,and the short wave stations VLT and VLK. He later went on to become a Speaker of Parliament.
He was also the voice behind the Post and Telegraph's "Talking Clock".
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Please note that this is not "Ask Jeeves" — you cannot type a whole sentence as your query. Enter a word, a phrase, or several words and press search.
Please remember that this is a FAQ database about Papua New Guinea.
Doing a search for PNG or New Guinea or even P.N.G will probably not return much. Keep the search simple. i.e. if you want to find out the population simply enter "population" without the quotes. There is no need to have PNG / P.N.G or whatever in the search string.
