New ISP provider Kaivai waits to see what they can do [1]
Saturday, June 30, 2001 - 10:00. Updated on Friday, January 29, 2016 - 14:42.
From Matangi Tonga Magazine, Vol. 16, no. 1, June 2001.
A second Internet Service Provider for Tonga, Kaivai, has yet to go into operation. A licence was issued last year for the new ISP following an invitation from government for applications for licences. It was part of government’s open policy on licences for operators in the mass media, television and FM radio stations, and Internet Service Providers.
Tapu Panuve of the Kaivai ISP said that they were still awaiting details from the Department of Communication on what they can and cannot do. “If we get the details today, we could be up and running within two to three weeks.” Tapu said that they would like to offer three services, e-mail, Internet and the hosting of sites, “but they have not defined yet what an ISP can do. They are trying to say that we can only offer e-mail.”
Tapu said that they were ready to invest a lot of money in setting up a system, which may include a satellite disk to link with overseas. “I think we were granted a licence because our offer was to make Internet access available to more people by offering a cheaper service than is available now.”
The other service that is offered by Office Equipment is the retailing and the repairing of computers. Tapu said that despite the Port and Service Tax imposed by government their sales were five times more now compared to five years ago, and their success was based mainly on their ability to bring in products that are in demand.
“Because of the size of the market, we can’t really afford to bring in something that somebody may or may not want. So we are taking a sort of wait and see approach rather than being in the forefront and trying to introduce the latest in technology that no one may want to buy.”