SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced over the weekend that Starlink internet services are now operational in 102 countries, including Tonga. Although the government has not yet released an official statement since it banned Starlink then changed its mind a few weeks back, this is perhaps the best news yet for internet users in Vavaú and Ha’apai who are experiencing limited internet connectivity since the submarine cable cut at the end of June.
The CS Lodbrog cable ship is expected to check and fix the broken submarine cable this week but Starlink’s quick move to restore its own service in Tonga is expected to significantly improve internet connectivity in Tonga, providing faster and more reliable access for both personal and business users.
Residents in Tonga can place personal orders on the Starlink website. The service costs $120 pa’anga per month, with a one-time hardware fee of $1,080 pa’anga and shipping and handling costs of $48 pa’anga. The service offers a 30-day trial and no contractual obligations, with hardware shipping within 1-2 weeks.
For businesses in Tonga, Starlink offers plans starting at TOP167 per month, with a hardware cost of $5,970 pa’anga. Business plans provide download speeds ranging from 40 to over 220 Mbps, upload speeds from 8 to over 25 Mbps, and latency between 20 and 60 milliseconds.
Starlink’s expansion to Tonga aims to provide high-speed internet access to more remote and underserved areas.
Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC) and Digicel resorted to satellite back-up service for its telephone and internet services while waiting for the submarine cable to be repaired. Hopefully soon.
