Page 14 - IB August 2024

Communications Communications
STARLINK STATUS REPORT

ROLLOUT SLOWLY GAINS MOMENTUM

By Kite Pareti Starlink for quite some time,” he added.
Home & Living, one of Fiji’s leading retail brands, has also
Starlink’s rollout in the region continues in fits and starts. joined the Starlink juggernaut as an authorised reseller of
The satellite technology company last month announced Starlink’s Standard Gen 3 Version 4 kits.
two authorised resellers in Fiji - Lightspeed Pacific and Meanwhile, Digicel Pacific could also theoretically sell
Telecom Fiji. Starlink antennas in its island markets (subject to local
Telecom Fiji CEO, Charles Gounder, noted that “this regulations), as its owner Telstra has been selling satellite
collaboration allows us to bring advanced satellite technology home internet plans, which include a Starlink kit, to
to the most remote parts of Fiji, ensuring that every business Australian customers since March this year. A Digicel Fiji
and community can thrive in the digital age. Starlink service spokesman said they were not ready to comment on the
will complement our other product capability allowing us to matter yet.
offer innovative business solutions.”
Meanwhile, Lightspeed Pacific’s agreement with Starlink 4G is ‘ample’
allows them to promote community Wi-Fi, which involves While some countries are pushing for 5G, Broadbridge says
providing solar energy services as well. Lightspeed Pacific 4G is ample for what the Pacific region requires.
Executive Director, Richard Broadbridge says around 600 “By providing decent 4G infrastructure, you're able to
Starlink antennas will arrive in Fiji between August and deliver services to those in rural areas. Those rural people
September, with 30% of the order already booked by are coming into the cities because they can't get those
customers. services. They can't get power. They can't get kids' education.
Broadbridge says their packaging of Starlink and solar They can't get faster services. They don't have any financial
systems will be particularly attractive in rural settings and for services, nor any way of generating energy. And the belief
cooperative setups. is that once you are able to take good fast internet into the
“We've bundled a 3-kilowatt solar that basically then rural areas, you're then able to help these people generate all
powers the shop, powers the Starlink, powers the Wi-Fi those things and government [can] deliver its services to the
access point, and allows the villagers to come and plug their people. So I think Starlink was designed for that,” he said.
devices, and even the shopkeeper can make some money. So Broadbridge says Lightspeed Pacific is also looking into
we've seen a take-up of that. And it's the only way a village providing Starlink in Papua New Guinea (PNG), through their
can afford it. Everybody puts in for the capital cost.” entity, Woi Satellite Internet.
Lightspeed Pacific has some proof-of-concept sites up “Fiji is important, but Papua New Guinea has the numbers.
already he says. “One is on the Na’ia, [a liveaboard dive and We’re just waiting for that licence to be issued,” he said.
marine research vessel]. One is in Pacific Harbour. One is The communications authority of Papua New Guinea is yet
on our farm in Seaqaqa. We have CCTV. We're attaching IoT to issue an official licence to Starlink. This has resulted in PNG
devices around the water pump, one for soil, one for weather. immigration officers confiscating antennas being bought into
It's still early days, but the potential is huge.” the country, according to local media.
Tyrel McAllister, the owner of The Comic Shop Fiji based in What could be causing the delay? Samania Ned, a Papua
Pacific Harbour, was an early adopter of the technology. He New Guinean ICT expert, says it could be attributed to
says most users would benefit greatly from Starlink services. the need for proper licensing of the Starlink receivers and
He told Islands Business: “My son and I are avid gamers, terminals, and the proper licensing and regulation of low
and those downloads can get truly massive (60GB+) for many earth orbiting satellites.
titles. Starlink has been able to handle that incredibly well, “Most importantly, is the appropriate business model to be
with download speeds off steam hitting a peak 228mbps. used for Starlink here in Papua New Guinea because I believe
Average probably sits around 170mbps. Compare that to Starlink uses business partners to distribute the terminals
where we were on a good day with Vodafone (at around and receivers, as well as to provide support,” she told Islands
24mbps), and it's no contest. Business.
“As soon as it was available, I put my ear to the ground, Noting PNG’s public consultations with internet service
and watched some of the local gamer groups. One guy providers last year, Ned emphasised that the technology
ordered his kit in and raved about the performance. So I was should be introduced with the right framework.
sold. “Each of them gave feedback on what to regulate, what not
“I am also a small business owner. I work online remotely to regulate, and how they feel about such technology being
from home and have done so for nearly 10 years. I need a used in PNG. I've also heard that the Ombudsman Commission
reliable internet. I nearly lost a job a few years ago, because is also investigating this issue, but no proper detail was
there were several evenings consecutively where I didn't published about that as well,” said Ned.
get any internet whatsoever. So I have been excited about

14 Islands Business, August 2024