High speed internet for users
TELECOMMUNICATION service providers Digicel Fiji is ready deliver high-speed internet to remote regions using equipment that’s easy to transport and install, even at sites located around forests or near large bodies of water, using a Free Space Optical Communication (FSOC) link for the first time.
In a media release, the company said it was ready to deliver highspeed internet connectivity in the Pacific using a solution that was comparable to fiber services, but without cables.
Digicel Regional chief technical officer Mudassar Latif, said they had successfully trialled it in
Fiji - using a line of sight technology to wirelessly transmit video, voice and data at high speeds of up to 20 Gbps covering a distance of up to 20 kilometres between each terminal when the terrain allows.
Mr Latif said this solution would be an alternative for higher capacity backhaul demand that cannot be fulfilled via standard microwave links and where physical fibre deployment cost was just too high.
He said it would assist corporate customers who required higher internet speeds and would support Digicel in augmenting capacity at link sites with improved services for all prepaid and business customers.
“We look forward to delivering light-speed internet to bring the educational, business, and communication benefits of connectivity to customers in the Pacific,”Mr Mudassar said.
Meanwhile Digicel Regional Pacific CEO Shally Jannif, said; “We are delighted to be first to market with a solution that is more cost-effective than fiber optics which can be complex and very expensive to deploy. Our solution is easier to install, anywhere and everywhere, even in remote difficult to access areas. Our main aim is to give rural areas the same quality connection enjoyed by users in urban centers.”
She said the key to bridging the digital divide was to find new ways to deliver affordable high-speed internet connectivity so that no one was left behind.