Local telecommunications operators to take advantage of Starlink

DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Communications Manoa Kamikamica has advised local telecommunications operators to take advantage of the opportunities provided by Starlink’s entry into the Fiji market.

He said a collaboration between Starlink, and local telecommunications providers would enhance Fiji’s national connectivity.

“I understand that our providers have been partnering with other satellite providers to provide this connectivity to remote and rural communities,” Mr Kamikamica told Parliament.

“By leveraging this technology, operators have further options to provide backhaul services to areas that were previously unreachable or prohibitively expensive to connect.”

Starlink is a constellation of Low Earth Orbiting satellites (LEOs), and these satellites fly at around 200 to 1200km above the earth.

However, Mr Kamikamica said LEOs like Starlink were not the solutions for all the challenges regarding connectivity and that terrestrial communication technologies still played an equally critical role.

“Terrestrial communication technologies such as fiber optic networks and cellular infrastructure, are advancing rapidly.

“Two of our service providers are making significant strides in this area, continuing their 5G testing and providing live user trials.”