Frieda River Limited (FRL) has taken a major leap forward in communications capability through its partnership with TE (PNG) Ltd to roll out its newest satellite technology at the project site.
The project site is situated in one of PNG’s most geographically challenging regions, where rugged mountains and vast river systems have long prevented the installation of mobile towers.
Through its partnership with TE (PNG) Ltd, FRL has successfully deployed OneWeb Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology, creating exceptional connectivity for both its project operations and surrounding communities.
This follows TE (PNG) Ltd becoming the first national company to secure NICTA approval for a OneWeb fixed land trial in Papua New Guinea.
A Transformational Connection for an Isolated Project
The Frieda River Project sits along a tributary of the Sepik River in Sandaun (West Sepik) and East Sepik provinces, a region characterised by steep terrain and the absence of roads or aviation access points for many villages.
The broader Sepik catchment spans roughly 78,000 km² and is home to more than 400,000 people, many living in small, scattered settlements across mountainous landscapes that make infrastructure development extremely difficult.
Communities such as Sokamin and Amaromin, located within the Frieda River catchment, have no road access or airstrips, with residents walking for days across mountains and rivers to reach basic services. These same terrain barriers have also prevented the establishment of mobile towers or terrestrial network infrastructure.
FRL Country Manager, Dr Joel Hamago, lamented that despite national efforts to expand digital access, rural Papua New Guinea remains significantly underserved.
“For FRL’s site, communications have historically depended on HF radio and limited satellite options, which is an operational constraint for safety, logistics and community engagement. FRL’s adoption of OneWeb’s LEO technology comes at a critical phase of project development. Once we have this running for site operations, we will consider expanding these services to our project communities, as this is critical infrastructure,” said Dr Hamago.
LEO Satellite Technology Benefits
LEO satellite technology addresses the precise challenges the region faces:
- Low latency suitable for operational coordination
- High reliability, unaffected by terrain
- Community access, bringing a digital lifeline where no other infrastructure exists
This installation marks one of the first deployments of OneWeb technology to support a future major PNG resource project and surrounding rural communities.
“We’re proud to be the first national company to receive NICTA approval for a OneWeb (Eutelsat OneWeb) Low Earth Orbit (LEO) fixed enterprise land service and to bring this capability into Papua New Guinea. This is a significant step forward for the country in terms of high-performance, low-latency connectivity for critical operations. We’re delivering this in close partnership with Sat.One as our upstream carrier, combining global capability with strong local implementation to ensure these services are reliable, scalable and properly supported on the ground,” TE (PNG) Ltd Managing Director Robbie Huxley said.
“Reliable connectivity has always been a challenge in remote parts of PNG. With the continued support and guidance of NICTA, this milestone represents the formal introduction of advanced LEO services into the country, opening up new opportunities for industry, government and communities. We’re also pleased to be working alongside Frieda River Limited on this project, supporting the development of the Sepik region through improved connectivity that will have a meaningful impact operationally, economically and at a community level," Huxley added.
The collaboration between TE (PNG) Ltd and FRL not only supports one of PNG’s most significant resource developments but also reinforces the value of investing in national capability.
With the OneWeb system now live at the site:
- Local communities can access digital services previously out of reach
- Site teams can communicate more effectively and safely
- Critical operations benefit from faster, more reliable data connectivity
- A national company is at the forefront of world-class satellite innovation in PNG
