Telecom gateway opens Saturday, FINTEL ready

July 14, 2009 12:02:14 PM

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Fiji’s international service provider FINTEL (Fiji International Telecommunications Ltd) says it will consolidate its position in Fiji’s telecommunications market, ahead of its de-monopolisation scheduled for this Saturday. 

FINTEL’s Manager Commercial and Business Development George Samisoni told FijiLive the company welcomes competition and recognizes it as having worked internationally. 

“FINTEL is a registered party to the Government’s industry reforms and roadmap captured via a Deed of Settlement to liberalise the telecom industry. Come 18th July 2009, the second phase of the reforms will be implemented with the opening up of the international access gateways to all licensed players.

“This means that any operator may wish to establish, build and operate its international access gateway. Options are available for players to use their existing gateways which have been in observatory position awaiting the deregulation of this second phase,” Samisoni said.

The landmark event is expected to foster competition in the international backhaul market and lead to a drop in wholesale bandwidth prices.

“Competition provides for the development of effective and efficient service provision and in many ways is strategic to the companies that compete in the same space. FINTEL is aware of such competition having worked internationally for sometime with competitive markets,” Samisoni said.

For FINTEL, he said the competitive market now is “about collaboration and partnership and FINTEL intends to leverage the same collaborative structures and play the same game on a levelled playing field in the domestic market.”

From Saturday, existing local providers who are presently FINTEL’s customers may source their international bandwidth needs via satellite and submarine cable, both of which FINTEL has invested in. 

“FINTEL operates both satellite and cable connectivity to provide Fiji with diversity and network security given the technology engagement requirements to build resilience for such supply.

“FINTEL believes that the road map is good for Fiji and will ensure that its commitment to provide international access gateway services maintains the same standards comparable with the global bench marks,” Samisoni said.

The company said it will work with local providers in a bid to promote Internet usage in Fiji.