Telecom Fiji Limited (TFL) recently announced the initiation of yet another strategic and long-term infrastructure enhancement project.

The company has embarked on a High-Speed Telecommunications Optic Fibre Infrastructure deployment project spanning 90kms along the Rakiraki to Korovou domain along the Kings Road on Viti Levu.

TFL emphasised that this is a two-pronged expansion project which would predominantly provide much needed additional capacity and growth opportunities.

It would not only provide services to additional communities and businesses but also have greater capacity to meet the ever increasing demand for bandwidth and connectivity.

The commissioning of this enhanced optic fibre network would result in a paradigm shift in terms of connectivity for all Fijians.

This enhanced capacity would essentially put Fiji on par with the developed countries in terms of its readiness for the next wave of super-fast broadband internet advancement dubbed “5G”.

TFL chief executive officer Mothilal De Silva commented that “while 5G networks are wireless in nature they would require high throughput fixed infrastructure to carry that internet traffic.

Optic Fibre infrastructure has been proven to be the enabler of this much anticipated 5G services”.

TFL further stated that communities and enterprises in the Korovou to Rakiraki corridor would leapfrog in their internet connectivity experience from the existing low bandwidth wireless services to high-capacity optic fibre enabled services.

Smaller communities are expected to be provided with wi-fi services which would not only be economical but would also provide seamless connectivity for existing user devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops.

Mr De Silva further commented that internet connectivity is no longer a luxury but more so a necessity whereby it enables accessibility to various essential services such as education, health, government services, banking and commerce.

The project is aligned to Government’s National Broadband and ICT policies and is expected to boost commercial activities in the Tax Free Regions of Viti Levu.

It also espouses one of TFL’s thematic goals of Empowering Fijians.

Secondly the expanded optic fibre infrastructure would provide enhanced resiliency to TFL’s existing high-capacity transmission network. TFL currently has Optic Fibre back-bone spanning from Suva to Rakiraki along the Queens Road and from Suva to Korovou along the Kings Rd.

This infrastructure provides connectivity for essential services such as airports, medical, government agencies, and financial institutions and also enables backhaul for mobile operators. This also enables connectivity to Vanua Levu and the outer islands.

“Being the only entity in Fiji that owns and operates fixed telecommunications infrastructure has propelled TFL to the forefront of technological advancements in Fiji.

TFL is strategically positioned to meet the demands of future connectivity and is one of the enablers of economic growth in Fiji” said Mr De Silva.

He further indicated that this was a long term investment.

The project has been contracted locally with overseas consultants providing technical expertise and on the job training to TFL engineers.

The project is envisaged to be fully commissioned towards end of November 2017.

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