Papua New Guinean provider Digicel PNG has launched a promotion that offers five free minutes of talk time to 14 countries after the first five minutes of the call, which are paid at the rate of PGK 0.69 per minute. This cycle will repeat every ten minutes during the call and applies only to calls made between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.

Tarifica’s Take

This promotion is noteworthy in that it reflects one way for operators to fight back against growing competition from OTT providers, which have made their name by providing ultra low-priced or free international calling. By making its network available for international calling at what is effectively a 50% discount – at least with respect to the 14 countries covered by the plan – Digicel PNG is making an intelligent move to stay in the game in an era when traditional providers are increasingly challenged by OTT services. The promotion may represent a 50% discount, but as the saying goes, “half a loaf is better than none.”