The Attorney-General and Minister for Communications, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum (left) with the Prime Minister of Tonga, Lord Siale’ataongo Tu’ivakano, at the 6th Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Policy and Regulation Forum for the Pacific in Nadi yesterday. Photo: JYOTI PRATIBHA
By JYOTI PRATIBHA
Government is currently finalising laws that will facilitate infrastructure sharing between telecommunication service providers.
This announcement by Attorney-General and Minister for Communications, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, was made at the sixth Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Policy and Regulation Forum for the Pacific yesterday.
The Forum is currently underway at Novotel Hotel in Nadi.
This means a company will now be able to pay a fee to share another company’s pre-existing infrastructure – such as cell towers – rather than having to build their own.
This will provide greater coverage for Fijians.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said the existing cell tower owner will have to make it available to others.
“This will dramatically reduce operating costs for service providers and in turn should lead to better coverage and more choice for Fijians, especially those living in rural communities,” he said.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said it also reduces the environmental impact of constructing duplicate infrastructure.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said this further means new players will now be able to enter the market without having to construct their own towers.
“More competition means better competitive pricing and better services,” he said.
Need for the Forum
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said Governments of Small Island States need to be a lot more innovative in terms of attracting investment and making sure markets are indeed viable.
“In the Pacific, we are also faced with the challenge of connecting populations separated by vast expanses of ocean,” he said.
“Indeed, if we do not connect all within our countries, then the digital age would create even greater disparities. “
“While there’s obviously much to learn from the greater international community, it’s nevertheless clear that our unique circumstances and challenges make such forums very important.”
Internet Exchange Points
Government is also in the process of establishing Internet exchange points –(IXP) – in Fiji.
As things stand, all of Fiji’s internet traffic between networks is exchanged offshore.
“For example, if I send an email to someone in Fiji, that email leaves Fiji, often to Australia or the USA, is exchanged and then returns to Fiji. This is both costly and inefficient,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.
“It is an imperative, therefore, that we have our own IXP in order to reduce costs improve services, and, of course, improve speed.”
The next focus of Government will be to ensure that operators have adequate access to fibre for backhaul capacity.
Consequently, this will eliminate the bottle neck of speed as services are expended into previously un-served areas.
“But our vision is not just for ourselves – the Bainimarama Government believes that Fiji is well positioned to be the hub for the region-wide broadband system,” he said,
“We have the infrastructure to support it.”
The Forum is also attended by:
l Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga, Lord Tu’ivakano
l Minister of Communications and Information Technology from Samoa, Tuisugaletauá Ali’imalemanu Sofara Aveau
l Minister for Communications from Kiribati, Taberannang Timeon.
l Minister for Communications from Solomon Islands, Walter FoloTalu.