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Internet users in Tonga’s Vava’u and Haapai islands continue to face connectivity issues since last week’s sudden blackout, as a cable repair ship is not expected to arrive for another nine days. Reports of difficulty making phone calls and intermittent ATM and EFTPOS services continue.
Despite improvements, internet reliability remains a challenge, prompting people to rely on satellite options like Elon Musk’s Starlink.
This is the third time that Tonga’s submarine cables have been disrupted. The first was in 2019 when a Malta-registered ship Duzgit Venture Capital In 2022, the Hunga Tonga volcano erupted, severing the power cables and cutting off Tonga from the rest of the world.
Prime Minister Sovalenei confirmed Starlink’s application for a license, even though its use is currently considered illegal. The government is considering issuing licenses to enhance broadband access, especially in the face of repeated cable outages caused by natural disasters.
Edwin Liava’a, former head of Tonga Cable Limited (TCL), said fibre offered greater capacity and bandwidth but ongoing outages made satellite providers an attractive option.
“In the current situation, Starlink is the best solution for remote underserved communities, especially as fiber optic cables are often down,” Liava’a said.
A specialist vessel from Singapore is expected to repair the damaged cable soon. Meanwhile, questions remain over Tonga’s telecom resilience strategy, with calls for a backup cable or improved satellite infrastructure to mitigate future disruptions.
At present, TCL has not issued an official statement explaining the actual reason for the interruption.
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