Overview
Telecommunications and Broadcasting licences are separate and additional to radio spectrum licences. Service providers who use the radio spectrum to provide telecommunications services are required to apply for and hold a radio spectrum licence, a telecommunications and broadcasting License.
With the support of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, the Government has since increased its wholesale internet access capacity with the American Samoa to Hawaii (A.S.H.) submarine cable in 2009. It has also launched a government-wide area network called the Samoa National Broadband Highway (S.N.B.H.) in 2015 and the Tui Samoa Cable in 2019.
For more information on telecoms contacts, please see the following link: 4.11 Additional Services Contact List
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Telephone Services |
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Is there an existing landline telephone network? |
Yes |
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Does it allow international calls? |
Yes |
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Number and Length of Downtime Periods (on average) |
Nil |
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Mobile Phone Providers |
Vodafone (formerly BlueSky) Digicel |
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Approximate Percentage of National Coverage |
98% |
Telecommunications Regulations
The Telecommunications Act 2005 as amended prohibits the provision of telecommunications services and networks to the public for direct or indirect compensation without a licence. the Regulator issues telecommunications licences as either individual licence of class licences. Under the Act, the Regulator may exempt certain specified activities or classes of persons from the requirement to hold a licence. The Office of the Regulator monitors compliance with all licences.
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Regulations on Usage and Import |
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Regulations in Place? |
Regulating Authority |
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Satellite |
Yes |
Office of the Regulator |
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LF / MF / HF Radio Frequency: Two Way Radio |
Yes |
Office of the Regulator |
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UHF/VHF/HF Radio: Handheld, Base and Mobile |
Yes |
Office of the Regulator |
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UHF Radio Link |
Yes |
Office of the Regulator |
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AM / FM Radio |
Yes |
Office of the Regulator |
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Digital Terrestrial TV |
Yes |
Office of the Regulator |
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Microwave Radio Link |
Yes |
Office of the Regulator |
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Mobile Broadband |
Yes |
Office of the Regulator |
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Fixed Wireless Access Broadband |
Yes |
Office of The Regulator |
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Amateur Radio |
Yes |
Office of the Regulator |
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UHF/VHF Repeaters |
Yes |
Office of the Regulator |
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GPS |
Yes |
Office of the Regulator |
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VSAT |
Yes |
Office of the Regulator |
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Individual Network Operator Licenses Required |
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Yes |
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Frequency Licenses Required |
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Yes |
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Existing Humanitarian Telecoms Systems
Only the larger UN agencies have VSAT phones (see table below).
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Existing UN Telecommunication Systems |
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UNDP |
WFP |
FAO |
ILO, UNEP, WMO, UNWomen, UNFPA |
UNICEF |
WHO |
UNESCO |
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VHF Frequencies |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
HF Frequencies |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Locations of Repeaters |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
VSAT |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
DMO |
Red Cross |
CARITAS |
ADRA (Adventist Disaster Relief Agency) |
|
VHF Frequencies |
Yes |
Yes?? |
No |
No |
|
HF Frequencies |
No |
No |
No |
No |
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Locations of Repeaters |
Upolu Savai’i |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
VSAT |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
There are five internet service providers, Vodafone, Digicel, Computer Service Limited, Lesamoa.Net & South Pacific Broadband Co. Limited. It has 97% coverage for the country, considered to be highest in the Pacific region.
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Internet Service Providers |
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Are there ISPs available? |
Yes |
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If yes, are they privately or government owned? |
Private |
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Dial-up only? |
No |
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Approximate Rates (local currency and USD - $) |
Dial-up |
No |
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Broadband |
T$500/unlimited/month |
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Max Leasable ‘Dedicated’ Bandwidth |
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Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)
There are 2 MNO companies operating; Vodafone has 98.5% 4G coverage of the country, and Digicel which has 98.8% country coverage.
Both offer similar services including mobile money.
For information on MNOs please visit the GSM Association website.
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Company |
Number of Agent Outlets by Area |
Network Strength by Area |
Contracted for Humanitarian or Government Cash Transfer Programmes? |
Services Offered (i.e. Merchant Payment, Bulk Disbursement, Receive & Make Payment) |
|
Digicel |
15 Agents – Upolu 8 Agents – Savai’i |
Urban & Rural 2G, 3G, LTE/4G
|
Yes |
Merchant payment, Bulk Disbursement, Receive & Make Payment |
|
Vodafone |
14 Agents – Upolu 13 Agents – Savai’i |
Urban & Rural 2G, 3G, LTE/4G
|
Yes |
Merchant payment, Bulk Disbursement, Receive & Make Payment |
Broadcasting Network Operators
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Company |
Network Strength by Area |
Services Offered
|
|
Radio Polynesia Limited |
FM Radio (Analog) |
Commercial |
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Samoa Broadcasting Corporation |
FM Radio (Analog) / Digital TV (CH 1) free per view |
Commercial |
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EFKS TV |
Digital TV (CH 2) free per view |
|
|
Apia Broadcasting Limited |
Digital TV (CH 3) free per view |
Commercial |
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Ministry of Communication & IT |
AM / FM Radio (Analog) / Digital TV (CH 9) free per view |
Community |
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Worship Centre |
FM Radio (Analog) / Digital TV (CH 6) free per view |
Commercial |
|
Good News Trust |
Digital TV (CH 7) free per view |
Non Commercial |
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National University of Samoa |
Digital TV (CH 8) free per view |
Commercial |
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Youth for Christ |
FM Radio (Analog) free per view |
Non Commercial |
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Catholic Media Communication |
FM Radio (Analog) / Digital TV (CH 4) free per view |
Non Commercial |
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BETA Multimedia Investment Company Limited |
Digital TV (CH 9) free per view |
Commercial |
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Digicel (Digicel TV) |
Sky TV (pay per view) |
Commercial |
|
Vodafone (Moana TV) |
IPTV (pay per view) |
Commercial |
