Thursday 13 September, 2018
Vodafone Fiji has embarked on a historical investment in mobile network infrastructure development in Fiji. Vodafone is now the primary internet provider to over 780,000 Fijians in the country and has over 1 million active connections on the network as customers have multiple data and voice connections.
Vodafone’s Regional CEO, Pradeep Lal said that this financial year; Vodafone Fiji’s board has approved a capital expenditure of $160M for the current financial year and we have spent another $46M in the past 8 months on upgrading our network. This takes the total capital expenditure to over $207M in the last 20 months.
With this massive network investment, high speed 4G+ network coverage will increase to over 90% of the Fijian population. 100, 3G sites will be converted to 4G+ and additional 244 new 4G+ sites will be developed and commissioned.
High speed internet services will be provisioned for existing rural and peri-urban population. Fijians also in rural areas like Muaniweni, Taulevu, Lomawai, Naiyala, Moto & in islands like Kadavu, Yanuca, Beqa & Levuka will have access to high speed internet services.
This will include infield as well as new sites covering the major highways and specific rural areas; mainly along the Kings and Queens Highway that have not yet had 4G sites. 21 new highway coverage sites; new areas covered along the Kings Road in the Ra to Korovou Corridor. Villages such as Logani, Kasavu, Burerua, Nadrau, Navolau, Wailotua, Nabulini & Rokovuaka will now have 4G+ coverage.
New areas covered along the Queens Road will be in the Navua to Nadi Corridor. Villages such as Vunaniu, Vatukarasa, Malevu, Kabisi, Vatudradra & Galoa will now have wireless high speed internet coverage.
123 new 4G+ Sites rollout where majority of the sites will be covering rural areas like Dawasamu, Lomaivuna, Visama, Viria, Balevuto, Varavu, Vesisaru, Nausori Highlands, Nawai, Nalebaleba, Naroro and islands like Moturiki, Batiki & Gau. Works have started on these sites and will be see completion in the coming 12 months.
This investment is geared towards data services for our customers and in preparedness to 5G services. Vodafone Fiji earlier this year was the first operator to do a pre-5G trial in Fiji, said Lal.
With the Savusavu cable landing, Vodafone Fiji is doing a high speed connectivity from Savusavu to Labasa and rolling out an additional 45 locations to have 4G+ services in Vanua Levu. This will be mainly in rural fringes to improve our services further and increase data coverage to customers in the North. More than 40 new 4G+ Towers in Vanualevu for increased data coverage to rural and remote areas including islands, such as; Naweni, Kubulau, Delaikoro & Udu Point.
Vodafone Fiji will also be connecting Taveuni and Laucala Island through high speed links and providing 4G+ services in these areas. For the first time high speed internet will be available for the people in Taveuni, Rabi & Laucala Island. Further expansion of 4G+ sites to increase network coverage in the Seaqaqa to Nabouwalu Corridor is also planned to be carried out for the areas such as; Dreketi, Nabouwalu, Lekutu, Nasorowaqa, Wainunu, Bua & Seaqaqa.
