GOVERMENT has announced the rolling out of a Wi-Fi model type Starlink-based communication solution to 126 sites around rural Fiji at a cost of $3million, which it said will directly benefit 11,300 Fijians who, until now, had little or no access to internet or reliable voice services.
This is Phase One of Government’s Universal Service Scheme (USS), a scheme established under the Telecommunications Act 2008 and specifically designed for the provision of communication services to the commercially unfeasible and underserved rural and remote Fiji.
“As part of our due diligence, in November 2024, TAF (Telecommunications Authority of Fiji) conducted live demonstrations of Starlink’s low-earth orbit satellite solution across multiple terrains in Fiji,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Communications Manoa Kamikamica said while outlining the rollout plans and providing an update on the deployment of the USS to Parliament this week.
“The results were decisive. The solution performed reliably and consistently, particularly in the rugged and dispersed geography of our islands.
“This enabled TAF to adopt a satellite-based, managed Wi-Fi model for immediate deployment in underserved areas.”
In its TELECOMMUNICATIONS (DECLARATION OF UNIVERSAL SERVICE AREAS) ORDER 2013, the previous Government had identified 240 villages and sites that have “poor or no connectivity”.
Mr Kamikamica said the first phase of deployment will cover 126 out of the 240 sites, with the following distribution:
36 sites in Kadavu
36 sites in Lau
15 sites in Lomaiviti
13 sites in Namosi
2 sites in Navosa
24 sites in Tailevu
“This is a deliberate strategy — focusing on areas with the greatest connectivity gaps and where the impact will be most transformative.”
He said each site will feature:
• A minimum two Wi-Fi access points
• Solar-powered systems for off-grid sites
• Emergency Satellite phones for disaster response, and
• A voucher-based access model to manage usage and encourage responsible digital behaviour
Mr Kamikamica said the solution will significantly cut down the cost of connecting rural and remote Fiji from the previous $400,000 and $500,000 a site for terrestrial telecommunication towers to just $29,000 a site with the satellite-based model using Starlink.