PUBLISHER: BuddeComm | PRODUCT CODE: 1040641
PUBLISHER: BuddeComm | PRODUCT CODE: 1040641
South Pacific Islands - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses
South Pacific Islands benefiting from improved international telecoms infrastructure
The demand for data-based services in the Pacific region is growing, aligning with similar trends around the world. In particular, the demand for mobile broadband is increasing due to mobile services being the primary and most wide-spread source for internet access across the region.
Mobile technology will play a pivotal role in the digital transformation of the Pacific Islands by giving the population access to services such as e-government, health, and education. Mobile technology will also act as a catalyst for innovation and economic growth.
The three largest countries in terms of population include Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Solomon Islands. While Papua New Guinea has the largest population by far, it provides opportunities for significant growth considering its mobile penetration is still low, at just over 30%. However, there are challenges to be overcome before significant growth can occur.
Internet penetration in the region is among the lowest in the world. However, an increase in international connectivity will improve penetration, coupled with an increase in 4G connections.
Submarine cable build-outs and the expansion of satellite services have bolstered international connectivity for the region in recent years, with more submarine cables due for completion in the next two years.
Fiji, the second largest island in the region, is one of the key markets to watch due to it having an advanced economy and holding the highest mobile and internet penetration rates. It is also leading in terms of preliminary 5G readiness.
Solomon Islands still relies upon 3G mobile and satellite services as its primary means of both communication and internet access. It will benefit from submarine cable and satellite developments occurring within the region.
While there are many local operators, there are also regional players including Digicel, which has operated in the Pacific for some years. Recently, the Fiji-based Amalgamated Telecom Holdings (ATH) has expanded regionally, completing a number of acquisitions.
International organisations such as United Nations, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank have taken a special interest in seeing the general living conditions as well as communication services improve in the Pacific region. It is well recognised that access to broadband services can vastly improve the economic and social conditions in these emerging markets, many of which are prone to natural disasters and rising sea levels.
This BuddeComm annual publication provides valuable information, analyses and current statistics on the telecom markets of the seven largest countries in the Pacific region. It focuses on the markets of Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Samoa. The report includes a regional overview, identifying the key trends and leading operators. It provides insights into the mobile market of each country including mobile subscriber and mobile broadband statistics. Information on the fixed broadband market and statistics is also included with a particular focus on submarine cable and satellite developments.
Key developments:
- Australian government contributes $1.33 billion of the $1.6 billion cost for Telstra to acquire Digicel Pacific;
- Kacific-1 satellite improves the region's international connectivity;
- Additional submarine cables come online, with more due in the next two years;
- GSM services still in widespread use in many Pacific Island countries;
- Fiji leading the way in both LTE deployment as well as 5G readiness;
Companies mentioned in this report include:
Kumul Telikom, Telikom PNG, PNG DataCo, Digicel, Amalgamated Telecom Holdings (ATH), Telecom Fiji (TFL), Fiji International Telecommunications (Fintel), Kacific Broadband Satellites, Southern Cross Cable Network (SCCN), Vodafone Fiji (VFL), Inkk Mobile, Unwired Fiji, Fintel Internet Services (Kidanet), Our Telekom (Breeze), Bmobile-Vodafone, O3b, Solomon Island Submarine Cable Company, Office des Postes et Télécommunications de Nouvelle-Calédonie (OPT-NC), Amper, Blue Sky Samoa, Telecom Vanuatu (TVL), Office des Postes et Télécommunications (OPT), Tahiti Nui Telecommunications, Galileo, Vini, Honotua Cable, Vodafone Polynesia.
Table of Contents
Regional overview
Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector
- Economic considerations and responses
- Subscribers
- Infrastructure
Telecoms industry statistics by country
- Population by largest country
- Mobile subscriptions by country
- Mobile penetration by country
- Mobile broadband subscriptions by country
- Mobile broadband penetration by country
- Fixed broadband subscriptions by country
- Fixed broadband penetration by country
Regional operators
- Digicel
- Amalgamated Telecom Holdings (ATH)
Telecommunications infrastructure
- Submarine cable overview
- Satellite
- Looking to the future: 5G
Papua New Guinea
- Telecoms market overview
- Other key considerations
- Telecom sector development targets for 2030
- Mobile market
- Mobile operators
- Digicel
- Mobile infrastructure
- Mobile statistics
- Fixed market
- Fixed network operators
- Fixed broadband infrastructure
- Fixed broadband statistics
- International Infrastructure
- Submarine infrastructure
- Satellite
Fiji
- Telecoms market overview
- Mobile market
- Mobile operators
- MVNOs
- Mobile Infrastructure
- Mobile statistics
- Fixed market
- Fixed network operators
- Fixed broadband infrastructure
- Fixed broadband statistics
- International Infrastructure
- Submarine
- Satellite
Solomon Islands
- Telecoms market overview
- Mobile market
- Mobile operators
- Mobile infrastructure
- Mobile statistics
- Fixed market
- Fixed network operator
- Fixed broadband infrastructure
- Fixed broadband statistics
- Internet downloading
- International Infrastructure
- Satellite networks
Vanuatu
- Telecoms market overview
- Mobile market
- Mobile operators
- Mobile infrastructure
- Mobile Statistics
- Fixed market
- Fixed network operator
- Fixed broadband infrastructure
- Fixed broadband statistics
- International Infrastructure
- Submarine cables
- Satellite
French Polynesia
- Telecoms market overview
- Mobile market
- Mobile operators
- Mobile infrastructure
- 4G (LTE)
- 3G
- Fixed market
- Fixed network operators
- Fixed broadband infrastructure
- Fixed broadband statistics
- International Infrastructure
- Submarine cables
- Satellite
New Caledonia
- Telecoms market overview
- Mobile market
- OPT Nouvelle-Calédonie
- Mobile statistics
- Fixed market
- Fixed network operators
- Fixed broadband infrastructure
- Fixed broadband statistics
- International infrastructure
- Submarine
- Satellite
Samoa
- Telecoms market overview
- Mobile market
- Mobile statistics
- Mobile operators
- Mobile infrastructure
- Fixed market
- Fixed network operator
- Fixed broadband infrastructure
- Fixed broadband statistics
- International infrastructure
- Submarine cables
- Satellite broadband
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports
List of Tables
- Table 1 - South Pacific - mobile subscriptions by largest countries (million) - 2014 - 2020
- Table 2 - South Pacific - mobile penetration by largest countries - 2014 - 2020
- Table 3 - South Pacific - mobile broadband subscriptions by largest countries - 2014 - 2020
- Table 4 - South Pacific - mobile broadband penetration by largest countries - 2014 - 2020
- Table 5 - South Pacific - fixed broadband subscriptions by largest countries - 2014 - 2020
- Table 6 - South Pacific - fixed broadband penetration by largest countries - 2014 - 2020
- Table 7 - South Pacific - submarine cables - largest countries - 2020
- Table 8 - Satellites operating in the Pacific region
- Table 9 - Telecom sector development goals - 2010; 2015; 2020; 2025; 2030
- Table 10 - Papua New Guinea - Mobile operators' market share of subscribers - 2014; 2016; 2018 (June)
- Table 11 - Digitec group financial data (FJD thousand) - 2019 - 2020
- Table 12 - Digicel PNG mobile subscribers - 2014 - 2018
- Table 13 - Papua New Guinea - percentage of mobile connections by technology - 2018; 2025
- Table 14 - PNG - Mobile subscriptions and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Table 15 - PNG - Active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration - 2012 - 2026
- Table 16 - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Table 17 - Development of Vodafone Fiji's financial data - 2010 - 2020
- Table 18 - Growth in the number of Vodafone Fiji's mobile subscribers - 2009 - 2020
- Table 19 - Fiji - percentage of mobile connections by technology - 2018; 2025
- Table 20 - Fiji - Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Table 21 - Development of ATH Group and Holding Company financial data - 2010 - 2021
- Table 22 - Development of Telecom Fiji's financial data - 2010 - 2020
- Table 23 - Development of Fintel's financial data - 2013 - 2020
- Table 24 - Fiji - change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Table 25 - Solomon Islands - percentage of mobile connections by technology - 2018; 2025
- Table 26 - Solomon Islands - growth in the number of mobile subscriptions and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Table 27 - Solomon Islands - growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and user penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Table 28 - Solomon Islands - fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2025
- Table 29 - Development of Vodafone Vanuatu's financial data (FJD million) - 2018 - 2020
- Table 30 - Vanuatu - percentage of mobile connections by technology - 2018; 2025
- Table 31 - Vanuatu - mobile subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Table 32 - Vanuatu - mobile broadband subscribers - 2011 - 2026
- Table 33 - Vanuatu - fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Table 34 - Percentage of mobile connections by technology - 2018; 2025
- Table 35 - French Polynesia - mobile subscriber and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Table 36 - French Polynesia - mobile broadband subscribers and user penetration rate - 2011 - 2026
- Table 37 - French Polynesia - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Table 38 - Development of OPT-NC's revenue - 2012 - 2019
- Table 39 - New Caledonia - Mobile subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Table 40 - New Caledonia - mobile broadband subscribers and penetration - 2015 - 2026
- Table 41 - New Caledonia - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Table 42 - Samoa - Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Table 43 - Samoa - Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscriptions and penetration - 2013 - 2026
- Table 44 - Samoa - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
List of Charts
- Chart 1 - Pacific island countries ranked by largest population - 2020
- Chart 2 - South Pacific - mobile penetration versus mobile broadband penetration - largest countries
- Chart 3 - Mobile subscriber and mobile broadband penetration rates in countries to benefit from the Kacific-1 satellite
- Chart 4 - PNG - Mobile subscriptions and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 5 - PNG - Active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration - 2012 - 2026
- Chart 6 - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 7 - Fiji - Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 8 - Fiji - change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 9 - Solomon Islands - Growth in the number of mobile subscriptions and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 10 - Solomon Islands - growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and user penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 11 - Solomon Islands - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 12 - Vanuatu - mobile subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 13 - Vanuatu - mobile broadband subscribers - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 14 - Vanuatu - fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 15 - Mobile subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 16 - French Polynesia - mobile broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 17 - French Polynesia - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 18 - New Caledonia - Mobile subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 19 - New Caledonia - mobile broadband subscribers and penetration - 2015 - 2026
- Chart 20 - New Caledonia - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2010 - 2026
- Chart 21 - Samoa - Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
- Chart 22 - Mobile broadband subscriptions and penetration - 2013 - 2026
- Chart 23 - Samoa - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
List of Exhibits
- Exhibit 1 - Major submarine cables with landing points in the South Pacific Islands - 2020
- Exhibit 2 - Papua New Guinea - mobile operators and technology used
- Exhibit 3 - Papua New Guinea - Kumul Telikom (Telecom) Holdings Limited
- Exhibit 4 - Vodafone Fiji - historical developments
- Exhibit 5 - Solomon Islands - Vodafone moved into the market in 2014
- Exhibit 6 - Our Telekom at a glance
- Exhibit 7 - Telecom Vanuatu- historical snapshot
- Exhibit 8 - New Caledonia - OPT Nouvelle-Calédonie (OPT-NC) at a glance
