The Starlink spectre
STARLINK’S ambitions now to enter the Pacific region’s telecommunications retail markets has created quite a stir that has brought the obscure subject of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) broadband satellite to the attention of ordinary Pacific Islanders.
Early this month, Papua New Guinea became the third country in the region to grant Starlink an operating licence, following in the footsteps of Fiji, who granted the entity a full ISP licence last November and Cook Islands with a six-month temporary restricted licence in December.
Just how this will change the landscape of regional telecommunications is still playing out, as discussions in regional tech forums such as the Pacific Islands Chapter of the Internet Society (PICISOC) suggest, there is an overwhelming interest in what Starlink could potentially bring to the table given its ability to reach geographically challenged areas such as far flung remote islands and the rugged mountainous inland terrain where traditional fibre optic cables and mobile telephone towers are costly to deploy.
Connecting the unconnected, a daunting undertaking even with the availability of geostationary satellite services such as Kacific – which incidentally does the same thing as LEOs do, albeit a little slower — seems suddenly possible with Starlink.
Fresh discussions have started around e-commerce, e-learning, ehealth, telemedicine, agriculture, disaster preparedness in rural and remote Pacific.
Telecom investments
For telecommunication companies in the region however, there are millions of dollars in infrastructure investments to think about, more so when the advancement is made by the likes of Elon Musk, owner of SpaceX, the operator of Starlink.
Profits from all telecom companies across the Pacific put together is loose change against the wealth and capability of the American multi-billionaire, whose plans to provide global Internet access by launching over 40,000 broadband satellites into low earth orbit are well documented.
As of January 17, SpaceX has launched 5659 such satellites globally to orbit the earth at around 500 kilometres, of which 4813 are active and between three and seven hover over Fiji at any point in time, according to satellitemap. space.
To think of this as healthy competition on a level playing field would be comparing apples to oranges.
In Fiji, that point is not lost on nationally owned telecom conglomerate Amalgamated Telecom Holdings (ATH), whose very existence is synonymous with the availability in Fiji of telecommunication services at a time when no one else was interested in Fiji.
ATH
“At the ATH Group, with our subsidiaries Vodafone Fiji, Telecom Fiji and FINTEL (Fiji International Telecommunications Ltd) serving Fiji and the Pacific despite the tyranny of distance and smaller market sizes, we are proud to be delivering advanced broadband services via fiber, mobile and wireless technologies in a nation that is globally ranked with the third lowest data prices in the world, demonstrating our dedication to delivering value to our customers,” said ATH Group chief executive officer in an interview with The Fiji Times.
“Our expansive range of services goes well beyond Internet connectivity and we are steadfast in our investment in resilient infrastructure that upholds Fiji’s economic and digital growth.
“The ATH Group’s significant contributions through tax, job creation, community-driven CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives and USO (Universal Service Obligation) are pillars to our commitment to Fiji’s prosperity.
“We trust that Starlink, alongside all market players, will share our dedication to uplifting the community and maintaining high standards as well as complying with the laws and regulations.
“As we continue to lead in providing unparalleled telecommunications services, we are optimistic about the possibilities that lie ahead with the integration of satellite and terrestrial technologies, working in tandem to fortify Fiji’s connectivity and its standing as a telecommunications leader in the Pacific,” Mr Fong said.
Indeed Starlink’s arrival as simply another addition to the array of broadband satellite solution providers already in the market is being seen by ATH as more of an opportunity than a threat, especially in the company’s ability to reach Fiji’s underserved areas.
“In all markets, including Fiji, there are always areas that are very difficult to serve so the more options available to serve these areas is a good thing,” Mr Fong said.
Infrastructure in the sky
While Starlink’s main focus is on building its infrastructure in the sky, there are indications that technical issues in relation to its services on the ground will need to be dealt with by third parties.
Starlink’s offering to residential customers in Fiji is still a few months away, according to sources close to the company.
However, service is now available to the more lucrative business market but not as straightforward plug and play.
To provide a complete business solution to enterprises, a Starlink business connection still needs to fall back on what’s available in the market for redundancy, according to the sources.
They believe Starlink’s entry will not necessarily put other telecom companies out of business but at the very least, force them to rethink their business models.
Overall, the importance of redundancy in this industry is underscored by the fact that telecom companies invest in both wireless and fibre-optic technologies, to ensure that if one goes down, there is a backup.
“It is important that they coexist as a hybrid solution,” former chief executive officer of Tonga Cable Ltd Edwin Liava’a told The Fiji Times.
“By combining the two, you get the best of both worlds.
“The high capacity fibre optic backbone links continents and major cities.
“Satellite fills in coverage to rural and isolated areas beyond the reach of cables.
“Together, they provide redundancy as well.
“If a cable breaks, satellite can route the traffic until it’s repaired.
“And if weather interrupts satellite, cables can take over connectivity.
“Hybrid networks are more resilient and have built-in failover capabilities and yes, telecom companies use them both.”
We trust that Starlink, alongside all market players, will share our dedication to uplifting the community and maintaining high standards as well as complying with the laws and regulations – Mr Ivan Fong