GOOGLE will share its terrestrial fibre optic network with local parties.
While signing a strategic partnership agreement with Telecom Fiji Limited in Natadola this week, Google Network Investments’ global lead Brian Quigley said the company would adopt an open connectivity system allowing their partners to access the network.
“Google had a vision a few years ago to establish an initiative called Pacific Connect,” Mr Quigley said.
“It was about improving the internet for all the Pacific Island countries and territories, and we needed to find a place for a hub.
“A place we can centralise connectivity and provide connectivity for all. We started that search and we learned a lot along the way.
“It has been an amazing journey, and we are excited that we are building new cables that will go directly from Fiji to Japan, South America, the United States and Australia.
“As I said this is not just about Google and doing this together.
“This strategic agreement connects not only the landing station in Suva but really connects across Fiji and will be in line with the national strategy for digital resilience to provide a more resilient infrastructure for Fiji.”
He said this would mean improved connectivity through open, neutral and sustainable infrastructure.
“Open meaning that it is shared access. Google is consuming half of the fibre links on these systems, and it makes the rest available for our local partners. It is neutral where it provides universal access to the world’s information in line with Google’s mission and it’s sustainable where we focus on green power and lowering the bit, the watts that are being used.”
He said the agreement with Telecom Fiji was now their fourth partnership since beginning work in November last year.
Note: This article was first published on the print version of the Fiji Times dated June 11, 2025
