From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 18, no. 1, March 2003.

The telecommunications work linking the small islands in Tonga has won an international award and global recognition for the contractors involved.

Globecomm Systems Inc., a global provider of end-to-end satellite-based communications solutions in partnership with TELOS Technology has been awarded the 2003 GSM Technology Innovation award by the GSM Association for Best Infrastructure.

The award was in recognition for their work in Tonga, where they were contracted by the Shoreline Communications to design and deploy a next generation satellite based network enabling the delivery of data, Internet, entertainment and GSM services across the remote islands of the Kingdom of Tonga.

Vision

The Chief Operation Officer for Shoreline Communications, ‘Emeline Tuita, said that if Shoreline’s chairman, HRH Crown Prince Tupouto‘a, “did not have the vision, the project would not be born. Globecomm Systems took the vision and designed a network and selected Telos technology to make it work.”

He said the Crown Prince’s goal was to establish a communications network that would fundamentally change the social and economic fabric of Tonga, “and provide the impetus for taking 21st century Tonga into the New World Economy, as an active participant.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Globecomm Systems Inc, David Hershberg said the while they were a supplier of advanced satellite networks, “…our company also has the skills to supply GSM cellular and wireless local loops. This complete solution also supplies broadband data, Internet and DVB-T video solutions along with GSM voice.”

Challenging

The Chief Executive Officer of TELOS Technology Jack Mar said that, “TELOS has commercially deployed many other next generation wireless solutions; however, the Tonga Islands network was more challenging due to inherent delays in the satellite system, which are not typically encountered on terrestrial transmission networks. Globecomm’s unique architecture helped create an innovative breakthrough, making GSM voice, coupled with other services, a viable solution in remote areas.”

The GSM Association, who gave the award, consists of more than 550 second and third generation wireless network operators and represents 140 key manufacturers and suppliers to the wireless industry. The association’s members provide digital wireless services to more than 787 million customers and their communications platforms account for approximately 71 per cent of the total digital wireless market today. Shoreline Communications Ltd. joined the GSM Association in May 2001.