Tonga Cable Ltd

The ruling was made as part of a legal dispute between the three parties over a debt of US$1.4 million which Hawaiki Cable says it is owed.

According to Kaniva News, the Cable company had wanted the case heard in New Zealand, but the Tongan defendants said Hawaiki Cable required leave to serve proceedings on it in Tonga and argued that New Zealand was not a legally convenient location.

However, both sides chose to approach the case using New Zealand law.

The estimated cost of this project was around US$8.3 million which was partially funded from the proceeds of the sale of Government’s shares to Digicel Tonga Limited (DTL) for US$4.2 million and partially from the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The project was successfully completed under the estimated budget.

As of Tuesday 20 March, the system was officially turned over to the control of TCL after the signing of the certificate of completion.

As a result, Government will be able to co-finance alongside the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, the extension of the fibre optic cable to Vava’u and Ha’apai Islands for an improved telecommunication service in both Island groups. 

This announcement reinforces Digicel’s objective to increase accessibility to and penetration of communications to Tonga – as well as to deliver the economic and social benefits that communications bring.

Tonga Cable System is a submarine cable system, which connects Tonga with Fiji and spans about 827 kilometers. It has cable landing points at Sopu in Tonga and Suva in Fiji and was jointly funded by Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

Digicel objective is to increase internet access and bridge the digital divide for Tongans especially those living in the outer islands of Vava’u and Ha’apai.  Digicel is also committed to delivering on its vision of being a total communications and entertainment provider to the region with this key strategic investment. 

The approval came after months of intense negotiations between the Government of Tonga (GoT), Digicel (Tonga) Limited (DTL), Tonga Cable Limited (TCL), and Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC),

Government of Tonga, DTL, TCL and TCC signed the respective agreements Friday. The signing ceremony was held at the Ministry of Public Enterprise and in attendance was the Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva, Deputy Prime Minister, Siaosi Sovaleni, Minister for Public Enterprises Poasi Tei and representatives from Digicel and TCC.