FEATURE
FROM DREAMS TO REALITIES: Surge in Subsea Cable Connectivity in the Pacific Islands INTRODUCTION
BY GEORGE SAMISONI
infrastructure and international internet bandwidth. Deployments of subsea cables have been rapid for the last four years. The small Pacific Island nations of Niue, Tokelau and Subsea cable investments are capital intensive. The multiChristmas Island each have a population of less than 2000. lateral development banks recognize the significant lack of Niue is now connected to a subsea cable, whilst the Tokelau and Christmas Island will experience subsea cables capital in the Pacific Island nations for subsea cable connectivity, whereas the economic impact could be immense. with capacities in the gigabits for the first time, landing at The lack of affordable, good quality internet access thus their shores before the end of 2022. came to be identified as the principal constraint to further What were only dreams have turned into realities. ICT diffusion and long term economic and social develThe social and economic impact for the island nations opment more generally. This coincided with the recogniwould be enormous as they board the global subsea cable tion that greater integration of the island economies, both telecommunications bandwagon. nationally and with the larger neighbouring economies, The international connectivity of small island developing was essential to the sustainable development of the Pacific states (SIDS) remains key to their economic development and creation of their own information society. Access to inter- islands and overcoming the economic costs of distance. Towards these ends official development assistance from national subsea cable networks at reasonable costs, including multilateral development submarine cable capacity is banks, has in recent years central to the realisation of been directed towards the universal broadband access construction of submarine policy goals in many Pacific cables to the Pacific islands island countries. and, once landed, ecoMost Pacific Island nomic reforms to ensure nations have attracted sigthe potential economic nificant public and private Manatua Cable System Southern Cross Next Cable System benefits are realised. investments in subsea cables (Samoa - Cook Island – Niue - French Polynesia) (Australia - New Zealand – Fiji – Kiribati for their sustainable network – Tokelau - USA)
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SUBMARINE TELECOMS MAGAZINE