Internet users in Tonga’s Vava’u and Ha’apai islands are still facing connectivity issues, since last week’s abrupt disconnection, as a cable repair ship is nine days away. Reports of difficulties with telephone calls and intermittent ATM and EFTPOS services are still ongoing.
Despite improvements, internet reliability remains a challenge, prompting reliance on satellite options like Elon Musk’s Starlink.
This is the third time Tonga’s undersea cable has been disrupted. First in 2019 when it was blamed on a Malta-registered ship, the Duzgit Venture and then in 2022, the Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption cut up the cable into parts disconnecting Tonga from the rest of the world.
PM Siaosi Sovaleni confirmed Starlink’s application for a license, though its use is currently deemed illegal. The government considers granting the license to enhance broadband access, especially amid repeated cable disruptions caused by natural disasters.
Former head of the Tonga Cable Limited (TCL), Edwin Liava’a, says fibre optics provide greater capacity and bandwith, but continued breaks have made satellite providers an attractive choice.
“In the current situation, Starlink is the best optimal solution for remote under-served communities especially when fibre optic cables are always disrupted,” said Liava’a.
A specialist ship from Singapore is expected to repair the damaged cable soon. Meanwhile, questions remain about Tonga’s telecommunications resilience strategy, with calls for a backup cable or improved satellite infrastructure to mitigate future disruptions.
At this stage, there is yet to be an official statement from the TCL explaining the actual cause for the disruption.
