Vanua Levu Soon to Enjoy Same Access, Services As Viti Levu
Vanua Levu will soon enjoy the same standard of information communication technology (ICT) access and services as Viti Levu.
The French ship Ile-de-Re is now heading towards Suva on a cable laying voyage that links Vanua Levu (Savusavu) with Suva (Vatuwaqa) and in turn the major Southern Cross undersea cable.
It comes after Fiji International Telecommunications Limited (FINTEL), successful negotiated for the Samoa to Fiji subsea cable Tui Samoa to have a branch into Savusavu. The main purpose is the Government’s vision of ICT access for all Fijians including braodband access and cheaper costs.
The cable landed in Savusavu last Saturday, December 16.
The last cable landing is planned at FINTEL Vatuwaqa, Suva, with expected completion date next week.
SunBiz asked FINTEL chief executive officer George Samisoni what it will mean for Vanua Levu. He noted the following: “The Viti Levu-Vanua Levu broadband cable would have been double the cost had it been built independently of the Tui Samoa cable system,” Mr Samisoni said.
“The Tui-Samoa cable network is a 1400km cable system that runs from Savaii and Upolu (Samoa), Wallis and Futuna and Savusavu, Suva (Fiji)
“The project is targeted for completion in first quarter 2018,” he said. Discussions between World Bank and the Fijian Government commenced in 2016, for this new broadband subsea cable linking Vanua Levu and Viti Levu
About the contractors
The Tui Samoa cable system contractors are Alcatel Submarine Networks. They are the same contractors that built the Southern Cross Cable Network which links Fiji with the world.
“The cable system infrastructures from the beach manhole to the Land Station are all contracted locally,” he said. “FINTEL has been contracted by Government to manage the cable stations in Vanua Levu (Savusavu) and Viti Levu (FINTEL/ Suva).
Costs
“The Viti Levu-Vanua Levu broadband cable system – around US$6M (FJ$12m) “The Tui-Samoa cable project cost is around US$40m (FJ$82.65m).”