Papua New Guinea's two major telecommunications operators have activated their first co-located tower site, marking a historic milestone for connectivity in the country.

Digicel PNG announced that it has successfully activated its network services on a Vodafone PNG tower in Minj, Anglimp-South Wahgi District in Jiwaka Province. The site is the first to go live under the recent tower and infrastructure sharing agreement signed between the two operators.

The activation allows Digicel PNG customers in the Minj area to access services through existing Vodafone PNG infrastructure, eliminating the need to build a duplicate tower.

A second co-located site is expected to be finalised shortly in Baiyer River LLG, Western Highlands Province, where Vodafone PNG will host its services on a Digicel PNG-owned tower.

In a statement, Digicel PNG said the initiative represents a significant step towards accelerating network expansion nationwide. The company said the shared use of existing infrastructure will improve service availability, and deliver greater connectivity and choice to communities, particularly in rural areas.

The tower-sharing model is seen as a cost-effective way to expand coverage to underserved areas and is expected to support participation in education, business, social and community development.

This marks the first time the two competing telecommunication operators have shared active tower infrastructure under the new deal, signalling a shift towards collaboration to advance PNG's digital development.