COVID-19 has been a blight on our lives, that much no one can argue. With all the preventative measures in place; curfews, lockdown, self-isolation, quarantine and of course, the risk inherent in going to either work or school – we can no longer live with the ease we once had, and this is understandably frustrating for every Fijian.

With many Fijians stuck at home to prevent a higher rate of infection, many have found themselves with the dilemma of having to complete work and assignments or now have more free time than ever – all while being unable to leave their houses. This is a problem for essential services – how are they supposed to continue their work and keep the country running without the correct resources or connectivity?

This is where Telecom Fiji has had the chance to shine. As an essential service provider to the other essential service providers, Telecom services and infrastructure remain fully operational, including the provision of fibre backhaul transmission services to mobile operators to ensure they continue providing services to their customers.

How? Through an informed, proactive approach blended with common sense and a healthy dose of dedication.

Protective gear was issued as soon as possible to frontline and customer-facing field operations teams and work from home options are in place, should the situation escalate.

“We have also put in place precautionary measures for field operations teams to be mindful of when attending to complaints at customer premises. We closely monitor the situation and our workforce. We have also issued an advisory to staff on certain other measures such as mandatory self-isolation and social distancing if they or any of their family members return from abroad or those whose close family members are working in the health sector, ” explained Telecom CEO, Charles Goundar.

With alternate payment options already available, Telecom has encouraged its customers to utilise online and digital channels for any requests, payment of bills, lodging of complaints or any other service-related matters. If visits ARE necessary, Telecom ensures its customers adhere to guidelines or policies that have been put in place for entering and working at their premises.

All in all, Telecom has kept the ship running, not letting even this international upheaval get in the way of their impeccable service.

Telecom Fiji further changed the game with the introduction of their ‘COVID-19 Relief Packages’ – care packages designed to make the current living situation easier for each of their customers, at absolutely no extra cost, ensuring their access to essential services and otherwise.

Each package has been designed with the needs of the customer in mind, so they can perform their tasks better, faster and more efficiently. Whether this is for schoolwork, tasks for which one was employed, or just pure leisure time, there is something for everyone.

One of these plans is the addition of 5GB of extra data a month to all prepaid residential Telecom customers – at no cost. The company has even begun to provide all sorts of incredible perks, like giving its customers double the amount of data that they would normally get!

To put that in perspective, if you are a broadband customer who used to pay for 150GB a month, you would receive an extra 150GB for free! This would come to 300GB of data while you only pay for the normal amount.

Yet another impressive package is the 30 per cent additional bandwidth offered to enterprise customers at zero cost.

Packages like these allow working customers to work for hours on end and communicate with their colleagues seamlessly on chat and video calls. Some apps used for communication and information sharing over a large group have become favoured in recent weeks as a result of the current need for isolation; apps such as the now very popular ‘Zoom’.

Such apps and programs allow people to communicate with each other through video, audio and messaging, sharing files, info and other resources amongst themselves. However, communicating with your colleagues on such a level can be daunting if you do not have the amount of data needed to back up your work.

Writing and planning are also huge parts of keeping a company running smoothly; with documents, spreadsheets and reports collating information that provides the backbone for a number of corporations. Telecom Fiji also has packages that provide 6 months of free access to Microsoft Teams, giving employees a great tool to continue their work.

The usefulness of these packages does extend simply to substituting workplace factors, however. Students at both a secondary and tertiary level of education can work online without worrying about low speeds preventing collaborative software from working or the inability to upload assignments on time. With Telecom Fiji’s relief packages and speed, everything is done in a snap.

Telecom Fiji’s packages have also enabled Fijians staying at home to entertain and educate themselves in their isolated leisure time. The large amounts of data given at the highest speeds in the region allow customers to have fun with a variety of streaming services. Netflix services are cached; having a server in Fiji allows customers to access all of the shows and movies on the app seamlessly.

Telecom internet services also come at a lower latency, useful for both streaming and gaming. For those who like to get competitive with their gaming online, Telecom Fiji provides fast internet that anyone would enjoy.

If you want a premium level of access, Telecom offers Ultra-Fast Fibre internet in select areas, which gives customers the fastest internet access available in Fiji with next to zero lag or disruptions and unprecedented download speeds. That’s right – you don’t need to wait to load that 4K video anymore.

The effect of these packages and the high-quality services are evident as can be seen in the recorded 90 per cent increase in bandwidth traffic.

Not everything is about the internet, however – sometimes all we might want is to hear a familiar voice and communicate with those we love and miss. Telecom Fiji has even accommodated for this, giving free calls to all of their remote customers as part of their COVID-19 Relief Packages. Now you can pick up the phone and chat with friends and family for hours on end, at absolutely no cost.

Yet, there are those of us who, in the wake of this pandemic, have neglected fees and have been disconnected from these services as a result. This is understandable, as each of us has had much to deal with in the past few weeks. Unfortunately, this means disconnection from regular services.

Telecom Fiji has come through for its customers on this as well. To make things as easy as possible for its customers, the company has waived all reconnection fees for its post-pay voice and data customers. Now, no matter what you need your connection for, Telecom can and will get you connected again at no cost – all it takes is a single phone call.

Telecom Fiji has proven that there is still hope for us to continue our lives in a somewhat similar fashion, even if we cannot truly embrace our old ways just yet. Work, education and leisure – all can be achieved with vigilance and the right services, which Telecom Fiji has in spades. Their COVID-19 Relief Packages ensure that each of their customers is covered as they pave the way to a future that none of us imagined, but with the right mindset and drive, one that each of us can enjoy.

Feedback: rosi.doviverata@fijisun.com.fj