Local telco Progresif Cellular continues to expand its network with the launch of a new tower on the Telisai-Lumut highway on Wednesday.

Previously a dead zone, the tower is part of the company’s plans to build three new sites in Telisai to improve coverage and connectivity for its 160,000 subscribers. 

Progresif CEO Paul Taylor (pictured above, L) said in the past six months the telco has added four new sites per month, investing more than $2 million into network enhancement and expansion.

“The growth in the number of customers drives us to improve our coverage and services especially at previously underserved areas, such as [Telisai],” Taylor said during the launch of the tower.

Progresif currently has more than 250 tower sites located throughout the country, with 40 new sites going live last year.

“We’ve invested to enhance the capacity for our customers at over 120 existing sites. By making these continued investments, we can deliver a network that is readily able to keep up with the heavy demand for communications and data use,” said Tony Hanley, the company’s Chief Technology and Information Officer. 

Hanley added that the telco is also focused on building sites in underserved areas such as Temburong: “We’re planning to drive our network into the more rural areas of Brunei so that the population can have access to communication through the Progresif network.”

Officiating the tower launch yesterday was Hj Azhar Hj Ahmad, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Communications (pictured above, R)

Founded in 2104, Progresif Cellular is a government-linked company and one of two major telcos operating in Brunei.