Islands Business - Mobile operators await census results in Solomon Islands

HONIARA (SOLOMON STAR) ---- Information about the population is important for planning in any business organisation. Such information are important to determine the expansion of any operations. Like wise the two telecommunication provider Our Telekom and bemobile this week say they are waiting for the final 2009 census results to map out their expansion and mobile rollout project in the country. On Monday Chief Executive Officer for bemobile Solomon Islands Limited Michael Ah-Koy said they are still waiting for the final population figures from last year’s national census to determine their next step of rollout programmes in the country. “We need the latest information on the country’s population to determine the next step of our coverage and expansion in this country,” he said. Our Telekom Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Loyley Ngira also expressed similar sentiments about the need to know the latest census results. “Census is important to do some measure for the coverage of the network and how to do better coverage in the years to come,” he said. Mr Ngira said in 2003 they started off with 300 mobile customers at the launch of the GSM mobile service. “But the figure had now grown to around 90, 000 customers which is a huge number for us,” he said. He said although they have enquired about the results, the national statistics have yet to release that to them. “We need such information because it’s very important for our planning and to determine how many percent of the population have benefit from our services,” he said.