Our Telekom, a company majority owned by the people of Solomon Islands through the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (NPF) remains committed to its ongoing IP-GSM based rural communication rollout for rural Solomon Islands this year.
Our Telekom had already deployed Breeze GSM Mobile services to commercial and administrative centre locations like Gold Ridge, Tetere, Tulagi, Auki, Gizo, Munda and Noro in 2007.This year the company has extended its Breeze GSM service by launching in Ringgi, Lata, Kirakira, Buala and Taro.
The next roll out of GSM mobile service will be in Seghe in the Western Province, Afio in Malaita Province and Kia in Isabel Province. Civil works on these UBC sites will commence on the 8th of October and the mobile services are projected to be operational in December this year.
Mobile service in Malu'u North Malaita is currently installed and will add to the fixed services already used by the community there.
The contracts for civil work on the sites have been awarded to Fairwest Trading for Seghe, MP Construction for Afio and JF Construction for Kia after reviewing of tenders. The contractors will be responsible for all civil works and the technical systems installations by Telekom engineers.
The service delivery system for Seghe, Afio and Kia will remain IP-GSM based technology and will be initially providing GSM mobile services. In the future, other applications such as internet, data and television can also be delivered on the sites.
Our Telekom Manager Engineering Projects, Mr. Wilson Leguvaka commented that our people in rural areas require such development and services and Telekom with no exception is addressing rural development.
Another Senior Projects Officer of Our Telekom, Mr. Patrick Kologeto said this is a break through for Solomon Telekom as we roll over the GSM mobile services to our rural centres and remote Islands. The projects that have been established were successful and a lot more installations are coming soon.
Our Telekom will continue to commission new rural sites each year at its own cost but can do more with funding support from the government or donor partners.
Press Release (Our Telekom)