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ICT in Tonga

ICT in Tonga. Sub-Regional Forum on ICTs for Development in Pacific Island Developing Countries, 6-9 December 2004, Suva, Fiji. Alfred Soakai Senior Communications Counsel Department of Communications Prime Minister’s Office Tonga. asoakai@pmo.gov.to Ph: +676 24 644 Fax: +676 23 888.

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ICT in Tonga

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  1. ICT in Tonga Sub-Regional Forum on ICTs for Development in Pacific Island Developing Countries, 6-9 December 2004, Suva, Fiji. Alfred Soakai Senior Communications Counsel Department of Communications Prime Minister’s Office Tonga. asoakai@pmo.gov.to Ph: +676 24 644 Fax: +676 23 888

  2. Introduction • Pop 108,000 (100,000+ reside overseas) • 748 sq kms • 3 main groups: Tongatapu, Ha’apai & Vava’u • 2000 end of C&W Franchise Agreement • 2000 Communications Act & introduction of competition in telecommunications market with 2nd full service provider (Shoreline Communications Ltd) • Service providers: Tonga Communications Ltd (TCC), Shoreline Communications Ltd (Tonfon) – (2 ISP’s) • Telephone lines per 100 (mobile & fixed) – 274 • Internet users – 1800 • 3 TV stations • 1 AM station • 5 FM stations

  3. Objective “To improve sector performance and ensure domestic and global connectivity throughout the Kingdom of Tonga. Improve quality of service, geographic coverage, service affordability and access to new service applications.”

  4. Policy Principles • Nurturing a sustainable and financially viable communications sector. A robust policy and regulatory framework that ensures competition encourages growth that is distributed across the total sector • To maximise infrastructure availability. Have in place an efficient and affordable communications infrastructure necessary to support its economic development especially in the key development sectors of tourism, fisheries and agriculture.  Given global technology developments, this also includes the provision of network capability in order to support relevant electronic commerce applications. • Support new industry investment and attraction. Commitment to creating a supportive environment to attract and retain activity (such as regional hubbing opportunities) in communications markets. • Maximise strategic and economic benefits from communications assets. Tonga must position itself to be able to take advantage of any possible short or long-term opportunities which arise from its ownership and control of national communications assets.  In particular, international precedents suggest that such assets should include frequency spectrum as well as numbering and electronic addressing blocks.

  5. Policy Initiatives • Communications Act 2000 (CA) principal ICT act in Tonga – establishment of the Dept of Communications as the central regulatory body • CA establishes a new licensing regime recognising digital convergence and structured on technologically neutral concepts. • Creation of Tonga Communications Corporation Ltd (TCC) to take over from C & W and Tonga Telecom Corporation

  6. ICT Legislation • Tongan Internet Corporation Registry Act 2000 • Tonga Communications Act 2000 • Computer Crimes Act 2003 • Media Operators Act 2003 • Newspaper Act 2003 • Tonga Broadcasting Commission Act • Radio Communications Act • Telegraph Act

  7. Communications Act 2000 • Established Dept of Communication headed by Secretary and Minister responsible for Communications (HRH The Prime Minister) • Set out Minister’s and Department’s obligations and powers • CA broadly sets out: • Consumer Protection • Regulation of tariffs for services • Universal Service System • Technical Regulation • Numbering and electronic addressing • Technical standards • Spectrum Management • Content regulation • Economic Regulation • General Competition Practice • Interconnection • Arbitration

  8. ICT Activities • Government of Tonga Network (GOTNET) High Capacity wide area network linking government departments in Nuku’alofa providing Human Resource & Management Information System (HRMIS); computerised government voucher & wages system; • Government Computer Committee • Government Internet Portal • National ICT Society (NICTS) NGO of local ICT experts - promote ICT awareness, forum for ICT professionals to exchange views, ideas and expertise related to technologies, systems, policies and services of ICT; assist the development of ICT in Tonga. • Communications Consultative Committee (CCC) Statutory advisory committee made up of all stakeholders charged with, when requested, rendering assistance to the Minister in the exercise of his functions under law. • Anti-Spam legislation

  9. Challenges • Capacity building for ICT sector (private & public sector, ICT skills, Department of Communications); • Utilisation of local ICT experts; • ICT policy development & implementation(SDP8); • Content; • Internet governance; • Access costs; • Spam, adware & spyware; • Closer cooperation between regulators; • Coordination of international and regional organisations • Regional representation in international organisations

  10. Malo

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