Case Studies | 4 min read
Bridging the Communication Gap: How Codan Radios Connect Remote Papua New Guinea
Introduction
In some of the world’s most isolated regions—where rugged terrain and limited infrastructure separate communities—reliable communication is a matter of survival.
In Papua New Guinea (PNG), 86% of the population live in rural areas, far beyond mobile networks and modern conveniences. Without reliable communication, residents face life-threatening delays in accessing critical services. Aviation and radio become lifelines.
"...there's a lot of communities that don't have good mobile phone coverage and so those communities really rely on HF radio. If you rely solely on mobile phones, invariably, the network will fail when you’re trying to evacuate a patient whose life depends on urgent air transport."
— Sally Lloyd, MAF Volunteer at Mougulu
Image © MAF Australia – Our Impact
86%
Live in Rural Areas
0
Mobile Coverage
1
Lifeline: Radio or Aviation
The Challenges
Image © MAF UK – World Radio Day in PNG
Rural populations and Isolated Communities
86% of PNG's population lives rurally, many in isolated communities with minimal access to modern services. While some rural areas have roads or limited mobile coverage, many remote communities remain entirely cut off, relying heavily on aviation or Long-Range Digital Radio (HF) communication.
Without reliable communication, these communities face dangerous delays accessing medical care, education, and emergency services, particularly across remote Indigenous communities in Western, Gulf, and Highland
Image © MAF Canada – Supporting PNG School in Remote Area
Limited Infrastructure
Papua New Guinea’s geography—dense jungles, extensive wetlands, and rugged mountain ranges—makes traditional communication infrastructure impractical. Satellite technology, while beneficial, is expensive and limited in capacity, disrupting critical services like healthcare, education, and disaster response.
Image © MAF UK – World Radio Day in PNG
Harsh Landscapes
PNG’s landscape presents significant challenges—mountain ranges, dense forests, and extensive wetlands—making traditional communication networks difficult to install and maintain. Communities remain vulnerable due to costly and limited satellite capacity, leaving them disconnected and unsupported.
The Solution
Codan Long Range Digital Radio (LRDR) HF radios have become essential tools in transforming healthcare and education in PNG's remote areas. These radios deliver reliable, scalable connectivity—even in the most isolated locations.
Communicating with Codan for Safety: Remote Education
Codan radios also bridge the educational gap between remote and urban areas. Teachers and administrators in isolated communities can reliably communicate with central education authorities, receive critical teaching materials, and submit student progress reports. This connectivity ensures rural students have equitable educational opportunities and support.
Mougulu Secondary School, surrounded by dense jungles, swamps, and mountains, exemplifies this challenge. It is the only secondary school in the entire Middle Fly District of PNG’s Western Province, relying heavily on Codan radios to connect teachers and students with critical educational resources and administrative support.
Communicating with Codan for Safety: Healthcare
The Eastern Highlands Provincial Health Authority has implemented Codan LRDR radios to dramatically improve communication between rural health centres and emergency medical teams.
These radios facilitate real-time coordination for medical evacuations and urgent supply deliveries, drastically enhancing response times and patient outcomes. Capable of transmissions exceeding 8,000 km, Codan radios provide vital healthcare connectivity to isolated communities.
A key success includes rural clinics directly communicating with provincial authorities, ensuring timely medical supplies and rapid assistance. The LRDR crosspatch system further integrates HF radios with other networks, enabling seamless, uninterrupted connectivity.
Integrated network connecting urban, regional, rural, and remote healthcare centres via Codan radios
Mougulu Secondary School in PNG’s Western Province uses Codan radios for vital communication.
The Results
Communicating with Codan for Success
With continuous support from Mobile Communications and MAF Technologies, Codan radios are transforming healthcare, education, and emergency response across PNG. Communities can now overcome geographic barriers, significantly enhancing their quality of life.
Codan’s LRDR technology effectively bridges the communication gap, bringing voice, safety, and reliable connections to communities that need it most.
For more information on how Mobile Communications' Long Range Digital Radio (LRDR) can support your organisation, contact us today.
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