Communication opportunities for Pacific Island Countries and

Territories

Digital Strategy Update

• PACRICS status (Pacific Rural Internet Connectivity System)

• SPIN update (South Pacific Information Network)

• OLPC plan (One Laptop per Child)

Phill Hardstaff – Acting IT Manager – Secretariat of the Pacific Community

Noumea – New Caledonia

The Pacific Community

What is SPC ?• Established in 1947, SPC is an advisory, training

and research institution.• A total of 370 staff – 220 in Noumea – 100 in Suva,

Fiji - 50 in other countries.• Land Resources (Agriculture and Forestry)• Marine Resources (Coastal Fisheries - Maritime

(Suva) - Oceanic Fisheries)• Social Resources (Human Development - Public

Health - Statistics and Demography - Regional Media Centre (Suva)

• A budget of CFP 5 billion (USD 60 million) in 2008

Pacific Plan – Digital Strategy Background• 5 priorities in ICTs for the region to be addressed through the

Pacific Plan Digital strategy.1. improving access to communications technology

particularly to and from rural and remote areas2. Reducing costs of ICTs3. establishing higher bandwidth to the global ICT

‘backbone’4. removing inappropriate regulatory environments

in order to foster higher levels of investment5. Strengthen HR capacity to apply and use ICT

Source – Summary outcome : Forum ICT Ministers Meeting, Wellington, March 06

The ICT Technologies

• Satellite – AMC 23, dedicated Pacific Hub : Pacific Rural Internet Connectivity System (PACRICS). Now GE 23 satellite.

• Submarine cable – South Pacific Information Network (SPIN)

• One Laptop per Child (OLPC)

Pacific RICS Project objectives• Connect rural and remote communities in Pacific

Island countries and contribute to economic development.

• Establish 16 pilot sites across region.

• Demonstrate the utility and financial sustainability of the provision of low-cost, relatively high speed Internet access to rural and remote communities throughout the Pacific region.

Pilot Countries

1. Cook Islands

2. Kiribati (2)

3. FSM

4. French Polynesia

5. Marshall Islands

6. Nauru

7. Papua New Guinea (2)

8. Samoa

9. Solomon Islands (2)

10. Tokelau

11. Tuvalu

12. Tonga

13. Vanuatu

Pacific SkyEdge HubInitial Bandwidth guaranteed for 2 yearsWith coverage over all Pacific Islands

PACRICS – Pacific Rural Internet Connectivity System

Features and Sustainability

RICS Hub can support up to 35,000 remote RICS sites

100 operational sites sustainable goal

PACRICS CAPITAL EXPENDITURE Costs – 16 pilot sites funded through PACRICS

• VSAT SkyEdge Pro, 4 LAN Ports, 1 phone port, 1.2 meter dish – USD $ 3,600

• Solar Power Unit – 200w panel capacity 300 amp Hour battery capacity Solar systems (if required) can be bought from your local supplier

• Training for local installers – completed for pilot countries (Step-by-step procedures with pictures)

• Pilot Site Community – Foundation for 1.2 m satellite dish

• Service Level Agreements – SPC and Pactel responsible for all sites

PACRICS OPERATIONAL Costs

OPEX for RICS SkyEdge VSAT Terminal Main OPEX factor = monthly fee for Satellite access & Data throughput (for “always on” ADSL comparable services)

PROPOSED UNIVERSAL SERVICE COSTS:

• 128 kbits download/64 kbits upload - Approx USD 200/month

• 256 kbits download/128 kbits upload – Approx. USD 350/month

• 384 kbits download/128 kbits upload – Approx. USD 495/month

• 512 kbits download/256 kbits upload – Ap prox. USD620/month

First 100 Sites – will be subsidized by Pacific RICS for 2 years

1st Pilot Site Launch of Pacific RICSSaturday 3rd May 2008

• Gaire Community – Central province, PNG located an hour's drive southeast of Port Moresby and home to about 2500 people– VSAT, ‘Network in a box’ [ISI box]– Provides opportunities for broad-band internet access to the

community at fast & affordable rates– A hub for One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative

• Partnership between Government (Dept of Information Communication); Private sector (PNG Telikom); Gaire Community; ISI.NC; PIFS; SPC under the Pacific Plan Digital Strategy.

Impact of PACRICS: Multiplies connectivityPilot Site at Patukae College; Marovo Lagoon, Solomon

Islands, will provide access to 9 Schools ; I health clinic 16 villages; 1 resort; 6 small businesses.

Patukae College RICSWestern province, Solomon Islands

Toa Marovo peak – proposed access point proposed for all Sites

Patukae College Pilot of OLPCs

Other Impacts of PACRICSSpeeds up Policy & regulatory reforms

For example, in Kiribati:•New Regulation now allows granting of license to other ISPs•PacTel (company contracted to manage PACRICS) granted a license to operate in Kiribati•PACRICS now available at much lower price•TAK helping schools to connect.

17 SPIN Ltd copyright 2007 ©

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Existing cables and on-going projects in South Pacific region

VANUATU

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• APNG2• PIPE NETWORKS• AJC•TELSTRA• SOUTHERN CROSS• PAC RIM EAST

TONGA

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FRENCHPOLYNESIA

Papeete

To Hawaii

Sydney

Auckland

PIPE

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Suva

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Gondwana

Nouméa - Sydney cable

VANUATU

Port Vila

• OPT NC cable called « Gondwana »• 2.151 km between Nouméa and Sydney• 1 pair of fiber • Capacity max of 64x10 Gbits• System in service since September 2008

TONGA

FUTUNA

NORFOLK

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SAMOA

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Rarotonga

FRENCHPOLYNESIA

Papeete

To Hawaii

Sydney

Auckland

PIPE

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Suva

Gondwana

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Tahiti - Hawaii cable

VANUATU

Port Vila

• OPT PF cable called « Honotua »• 4.650 km between Tahiti and Hawaii• 1 pair of fiber • Capacity max of 64x10 Gbits• System under implementation• In service by Q1 2010

TONGA

FUTUNA

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SAMOA

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Rarotonga

FRENCHPOLYNESIA

Papeete

To Hawaii

Sydney

Auckland

PIPE

Madang

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Suva

Gondwana

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SPIN cable

VANUATU

Port Vila

• SPIN cable• 6.500 km between Nouméa and Tahiti• Landing points in Norfolk, Wallis, Am. Samoa and Niue• 2 pairs of fiber (1 express + 1 omnibus) • Capacity max of 64x10 Gbits• Expected date of commissioning : 2nd half 2010

TONGA

FUTUNA

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NORFOLK

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PAPUA NEW GUINEA

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FIJI

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NIUE

Pago Pago

ApiaAMERICAN SAMOA

SAMOA

COOK ISLANDS

Rarotonga

FRENCHPOLYNESIA

Papeete

To Hawaii

Sydney

Auckland

PIPE

Madang

Noumea

Suva

Gondwana

Ho

no

tua

Other potential landing points

VANUATU

Port Vila

• Vanuatu - Port Vila• Fiji - Suva• Samoa - Apia• Tonga - Nukualofa• Cook Islands - Rarotonga

TONGA

FUTUNA

Tels

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NORFOLK

Tentative time scheduleQ2-08 Q3-08 Q4-08 Q1-09 Q2-09 Q3-09 Q4-09 Q1-10 Q2-10 Q3-10 Q4-10

Vendor selection and contract signature scheduled end of 2008

Financing finalization

Marine survey

Cable manufacturing

SPIN cable implementation

Noumea - Sydney link in service by September 1st

Tahiti - Hawaii link in service

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SPIN open tender launched in June

SPIN launching

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And after SPIN ?

Sydney

Hawaii

Tahiti Arica• Tahiti - Valparaiso link • 7750 Km

Tokyo

Guam

Lurin

Valparaiso

Panama

Mazatian

Puerto San Jose

California

Rapa Nui

Saliras

Nouméa

Auckland • Nouméa - Norfolk - Auckland link• 2500 Km

Madang

Cook Isl.

Niue

Am. Samoa

SamoaWallis

Tonga

FijiVanuatu

Norfolk

équateur

Honiara

• Port Vila – Honiara – Madang link • 3250 Km

One Laptop Per Child Oceania Project update

•5,000 OLPC units gifted by OLPC Boston for a Pacific-wide pilot in all PICTs

•PNG leading the charge on OLPCs with recent announcement aiming to launch a US$58 million

initiative •Evaluation of impact OLPCs will be

commissioned •Good feedback of early impact

Visit OLPC wiki website

•http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLPC_Oceania•OLPC Oceania describes OLPC activities in the Islands of the Pacific (excluding New Zealand and Australia)

Teachers and students with OLPC laptops at Patukae

Bridging the communication divide - through Appropriate Technology

Thank You for listening