The Fijian regulator has reduced charges for the Fiji International Telecommunications Pte Limited (FINTEL) cable landing station.
According to Fijian press reports, the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) has said that Fijians need to have affordable access to the internet no matter where they are. Thus the FCCC has reviewed and reduced charges for the FINTEL cable landing station – and these reductions are by no means modest.
Joel Abraham, the CEO of FCCC, has been quoted as indicating that a 10-gigabyte line, which previously cost $40,000, will soon cost $640. The price change is due to come into effect at the start of October.
Abraham added that data is now a widely utilised commodity which is essential to business and communication, and highlighted FINTEL’s monopoly position in the market, both of which factors encouraged FCCC to review current rates to ensure accessibility of data services for Fijians.
The Southern Cross cable is the optical fibre submarine cable that links Fiji’s international telecommunications systems with the rest of the world and provides the bulk of Fiji’s internet and data access.
The principal activities of FINTEL are the provision and operation of international telecommunications facilities into and out of Fiji, and the provision of internet connection and internet-related services in the domestic market.
FINTEL maintains a cable landing station and a satellite earth station that support a robust and diverse international gateway that includes the Southern Cross submarine optical fibre cable network and a satellite facility positioned at the Vatuwaqa Communications Centre.
