Tonga’s Prime Minister Hon Siaosi Sovaleni today tested the connectivity of a VSAT terminal, set up at the PMO. It is one of 50 terminals donated by US billionaire Elon Musk of SpaceX.

The PM said these terminals will be distributed and strategically installed on all island groups, including the two Niuas, to provide fast and free internet service and communications link. 

“We have tested them and one terminal has been set up in the Prime Minister’s Office,” he said.

Mr Musk donated the terminals to help Tonga re-connect after the internet submarine cable was split in several places, due to the  Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunamis on Jan. 15.

"Together, we came through that unprecedented event and devastation. The ashfall from this cataclysmic underwater volcanic eruption affected 85% of our population, and the tsunamis it created caused severe damages to good number of our people’s houses, business premises and public infrastructure in the coastal areas and smaller outlying islands."

The event also severely damaged Tonga's only submarine cable system, causing connectivity black outs for both international and domestic internet-based services, and cutting communications links with Tonga.

“As a result, Tonga was left with very limited communications services from very few satellite capacities that were available at the time, which included the missions here in Tonga, and I sincerely thank them for lending a hand at times of need.”

The communications carriers scrambled to find additional satellite capacities from providers, including Kacific Satellite and the USPNet. A few satellite phones were also available.

Tonga Cable Limited arranged to fix and to restore the cable system, while several offers and assistance from development partners, UN Agencies and donor agencies, were pouring in with satellite link and capacities, which included SpaceX and Starlink terminals today, he said

The SpaceX connection started from a simple letter from New Zealand MP Dr. Shane Reti addressed to Elon Musk, two-days after the eruption, seeking assistance for Starlink Internet communications forf Tonga at this moment of need, he said.  

Mr Musk in responded and set up the operation in Fiji, and donated 50 VSAT Terminals, providing free of charge capacities from these terminals during this emergency period until the cable system has been fully restored. 

"Do note, we have only managed to fixed the international link to Tongatapu but not the cable to Vava'u and Ha'apai."

In addition, the PM said by setting up these terminals, they understand that it should not undermine the work done by commercial operators such as TCC, Digicel and Wantok who also provide services to clients.