Sabine Lanjock
TechInPacific – According to Research & Markets, more than 50% of the population in Vanuatu own a mobile phone which is still under 2G services, whereas the island comprises a population of less than 300,000 people. Furthermore, due to its significant number of natural disasters, numerous inhabitants of the country still don’t have sufficient access to electricity.
Despite all the drawbacks, Vanuatu has been progressing substantially for years when it comes to telecoms services and for this reason, the country should be optimistic. It can now count on two outstanding mobile operators namely Amalgamated Telecom Holdings (operating as TVL) and Digicel Vanuatu.
The launch of LTE services has been successfully conducted by both operators, just like the introduction of a rural satellite broadband service in partnership with Kacific. In the near future, 3G and 4G LTE are expected to surpass current 2G coverage in Vanuatu.
Even though standard broadband coverage remains low at the moment, the incumbent operator is gradually replacing fixed-lines with fiber-optics. There are also multiple ongoing submarine cable developments which will assist the improvement of internet speed and lower the overall pricing.
The enhanced satellite and submarine cable infrastructure for telecoms will benefit Vanuatu both economically and socially as soon as the implementation will be fully accomplished. Mobile date development in Vanuatu is foreseen to remain solid in the coming years.
