Telstra buys Digicel Pacific for US$1.6 billion
REPUBLIC OF NAURU
Government Information Office
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Monday, 25 October 2021
Telstra buys Digicel Pacific
for US$1.6 billion
President Lionel Aingimea welcomes
the announcement today by Australia's telecom provider Telstra that
it is taking over Digicel's business in the South Pacific region
for US$1.6 billion, plus up to an additional US$250 million subject
to business performance over the next three years.
Telstra partnered with the
Government of Australia to take over the Pacific business.
President Aingimea offers
appreciation to and congratulates Telstra and its chief executive
Andy Penn for continuing this valuable service, and thanks Digicel
for providing the much-needed service since it established its
Nauru operations in 2009.
"Nauru was without a
telecommunications provider for many years and Digicel's presence
brought internet and phone connectivity linking the government,
businesses, Nauruans and foreigners to the rest of the world and
opened up vast opportunities for business, research, education and
telemedicine."
The business will be owned and
operated by Telstra and will be overseen by a Telstra controlled
board which will also include current owner Denis O'Brien and two
independent directors.
The Digicel Pacific business was
founded in 2006 and operates in six markets in the South Pacific
including Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, and
Tonga.