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Fiji experienced intermittent Internet blackout today as one of its main Internet Service Providers Connect suffered what it described was “technical problems.”
As hundreds of Connect subscribers, including FijiLive, had their Internet services affected, there was confusion on whether the “technical problems” arose from Connect’s parent company Telecom Fiji Ltd or whether it originated from international communications service provider FINTEL (Fiji International Telecommunications Ltd).
“The issue is between TFL and FINTEL and they’re currently sorting it out,” a Connect engineer said when FijiLive inquired about the problem.
However, FINTEL firmly denied that it had anything to do with the issue, claiming that it has been “unnecessarily roped in.”
“The problem is within the Telecom Network. FINTEL has been roped in unnecessarily. The other ISPs – Kidanet and Unwired (direct connection to FINTEL vice middleman) are enjoying the usual FINTEL service,” said FINTEL’s Manager Commercial and Business Development George Samisoni.
The issue reflects the continuing friction between TFL and FINTEL as Fiji’s almost fully liberalized telecommunication market sees the two former bedmates become fierce competitors in the local Internet market.
Efforts have been made by FijiLive to obtain comments from TFL, whose subsidiary Connect has been obliged to buy Internet bandwidth from it despite FINTEL’s cheaper bandwidth offering.
The two companies also recently had a public fall out regarding the provision of international telephone services, a market that was officially deregulated last month and which immediately placed TFL as FINTEL’s fiercest competitor.
