Appendix A. Telecommunications Data on the Pacific, and Comparators ¹

Many of these data are from relatively recent sources. However, a few are based on data a few years old, which is a long time in the relatively dynamic telecoms field. The data, however, have gone through several rounds of review, by industry, governmental, and inter-governmental organizations. (All such data should be re-checked before important decisions are made based on their details, rather than their general description of the situation in the Pacific.)

Satellite Infrastructure

Although undersea telecommunication cables first served the Pacific over a century ago, those were analogue telegraph, and later telephone voice, cables. Satellite communications, which quickly leapfrogged cable capabilities in the 1970s, revolutionized telecommunications in the Pacific.

Table A-1 summarizes the types of Earth stations², and the satellites, used for international and domestic connectivity, as compiled from innumerable reports on the Internet.

Table A-1. Satellite Communications Infrastructure³

Economy

American Samoa: Earth station (1 – International, 1 – domestic) - Intelsat (1 system)

Australia: Earth Stations (10 Intelsat including 6 Pacific Ocean; 2 Inmarsat including 1 Pacific Ocean; 2 Globalstar, 5 “other”); Extensive domestic satcom system. - Intelsat (10 systems), Inmarsat (2), Globalstar (2), “other (5)” (CIA – 2005)

Cook Islands: Standard B (10 – at Rarotonga and 9 other islands), Standard F3 (1 at Rarotonga), 3+ Mbps from Rarotonga, 64-256 Kbps with other islands Of 12 populated islands, 2 had no access to telecoms in 2001. USPNet 4.6-metre downlink. - Intelsat, New Skies NSS-5 (183E)satellite

Fiji: Standard A (1 - Suva). USPNet 7.6-metre Hub uplink/downlink. - Inmarsat, Intelsat IS-701 (180E) satellite

French Polynesia: - Intelsat (1)

Guam: - Intelsat (1)

Hawaii: n/a

Kiribati: Standard A (1 Bairiki), Standard B (1 – Kiritimati); 1.5 Mbps IDR at each location. USPNet 4.6-metre downlink. - Intelsat IS-701 (180E) satellite

Marshall Islands: Standard A (1 - Majuro); Standard F1 (1 - Ebeye) (or Standard F3, variously reported). 2+ Mbps digital connectivity at each Earth station. Communications to remote outer islands is by single side band radio, though some VSATs are in operation. USPNet downlink. - Intelsat, New Skies NSS-5 (183E) satellite

Micronesia: Standard A (1 – Pohnpei for international use); Standard B (3 – Chuuk, Kosrae, Yap) and Standard F1 (Ulithi) for interstate voice and data. Several Mbps Internet at Pohnpei, about 1.6 Mbps at Chuuk, Kosrae and Yap, 64Kbps at Ulithi. - Intelsat (5)

Nauru: Standard B (1) (2 Mbps digital capacity via satellite. 2 Mbps optical fibre connects the earth station to the switching centre. (2001)). USPNet 4.6-metre downlink. - Intelsat (1)

New Caledonia: - Intelsat (1)

New Zealand: Earth Stations (8) - Inmarsat (1), “other (8)”

Niue: Standard B (1 - Alofi) (or Standard F2, variously reported); 64 Kbps frame relay. USPNet 4.6-metre downlink. - Intelsat IS-604 (174E) satellite; Inmarsat

Norfolk Island: Standard B (1 - Philipi). 3+ Mbps bandwidth. - Asiasat-4 (122.2E) satellite

Northern Mariana Is. - Intelsat (2)

Palau: Standard B (or Standard A, reported variously - Koror (1); Standard F1 (1-Koror, for Internet service). Several Mbps bandwidth. - Intelsat IS-605 (174E) satellite (Standard A/B?); Telstar-18 (138E) satellite (Standard F1)

Papua New Guinea: Standard A (Port Moresby); 7 metre Optus antennas (2 – Port Moresby, Lae); 18 metre domsat hub in Port Moresby, VSATs being installed nationwide. - Intelsat (1), Aussat3 (2), Inmarsat, Asiasat, Palapa

Pitcairn Island: Earth Station - Inmarsat (1)

Samoa: Standard A (1 - Apia); Standard F1 (1 – Apia for Internet traffic); Several Mbps bandwidth. USPNet 6-metre Mini-Hub uplink/downlink. – Also, there is a 8 MBps terrestrial microwave link to American Samoa. - Intelsat IS-701 (190-E) satellite (Standard A); New Skies NSS-5 (183E) satellite (Standard F1)

Solomon Islands: Standard B (Honiara – for international connectivity); Standard F3 domsat hub (Honiara); Standard F2 (2 – Gizo, Auki); Standard F1 (3 – Taro, Munda, Auki). USPNet 4.6-metre downlink. Several Mbps bandwidth. - Intelsat IS-701 (180E) satellite (standard A); New Skies NSS-5 (183E) satellite (1 Standard F3, 1 Standard F1, 2 – Standard F2 stations); Panamsat PAS-8 (166E) satellite (1 – Standard F1) and PAS-2 (169E) satellite (1 – Standard F1).

Timor Leste: n/a

Tokelau: Standard F1 (3 – Fakaofo, Nukunonu, Atafa); telephone and 512 Kbps duplex digital Internet (2003). USPNet4.6-metre downlink. - Intelsat (3?)

Tonga: Standard A (1 – Tongatapu, reported as Standard B in 2006); Domsat network – 3 Intelsat IDR, 2 smaller centres using Intelsat. Several Mbps bandwidth. USPNet downlink. - Intelsat IS-701 (174E) satellite (standard A (B?) station)

Tuvalu: Standard F3 (1 – hub in Funafuti with 64 kbps IDR), Standard F1 (8 – other islands for domestic traffic). 768 Kbps bandwidth at Funafuti, 64 Kbps elsewhere. USPNet downlink. - Inmarsat, New Skies NSS-5 satellite

Vanuatu: Standard A (1 – Port Vila with IDR). Standard F2 (1 – Port Villa for Internet traffic). Several Mbps bandwidth. USPNet 4.6-metre Mini-Hub uplink/downlink. - New Skies NSS-5 (183E) satellite (Standard A station); Intelsat IS-701 (174E) satellite (standard F2 station)

Coverage of Pacific island States is essentially complete for current C-band communication satellites. C-band is the traditional source of essentially full geographic coverage, very highly reliable, but relatively low-bandwidth and expensive, telecommunications. Ku band, which is subject to occasional interruptions in heavy rain, permits greater bandwidths and lower costs (of bandwidth and terminal costs). However, coverage is not quite so complete as for C-band. Except for the westernmost parts of the Pacific, which may be served by many satellites mostly serving Asia or Australia, major coverage is offered by Intelsat, Inmarsat, Asiasat, New Skies, and SES Americom.

Intelsat’s global constellation is mapped in Figure A-1⁴. The footprints of its five central Pacific satellites are mapped in Figure A-2.

Figure A-1. Intelsat map of its operating satellite and fibre network

A. Intelsat over 150 East Longitude
C-band beam in white; Ku beam in yellow


B. Intelsat over 166 East Longitude
C band beam in purple


C. Intelsat over 169 East Longitude
C-band beam in purple


D. Intelsat over 174 East Longitude
C-band beam in white; Ku in yellow


E. Intelsat over 180 East Longitude
C-band beam in white; Ku beam in yellow


F. Inmarsat over 178 East Longitude
Fringe coverage in orange


G. Asiasat 4 C- and Ku-band coverage


H. Asiasat 3S C- and Ku-band coverage


I. Asiasat 2 C- and Ku-band coverage


J. SES Americom AMC-23 coverage now named Sat-Ge GE-23


K. New Skies NSS-5 C- and Ku-band coverage

Figure A-2. Coverage Maps for Pacific Ocean Satellites

Intelsat has been a major force in international satellite connectivity in the Pacific. However, recent restructurings in the communications industry have included the privatization if Intelsat, which may make the company more amenable to partner with hybrid, rather than satellite-only solutions.

In many States, separate satellites, Earth stations/terminals, or other infrastructure may be used for international and domestic connectivity. Full details are often unavailable.

Cable Infrastructure

Table A-2 provides an historical summary of cables serving the Pacific, (given in Gigabits per second).

Some data are available on the use and capacities of international submarine cables, and on international satellite usage. A summary of such data is presented for the years 2004 (the latest year available as this report is written), 2000 and 1996 in Table A-3. Compiled annually by the USA Federal Communications Commission and cited in the references, these reports only summarize data reported to the FCC by companies required to do so by its regulations. Thus, domestic traffic within countries other than the USA, and traffic not involving the USA, is unlikely to be reported. It is also noted in the reports that cable capacity is likely to be understated in the reports⁵. In addition, review of the tabulations suggests that data may be incompletely reported, received, or compiled for any given year – especially in the then-current year. Nevertheless, as much international traffic involves the use in origin, transit, or destination, and the data reporting methodology is relatively stable, the data can be of some use.

Table A-4 presents trans-Pacific cable capacities annually since 1988. This coincides with the introduction of first-generation fibre-optical cables in the region. Using the reporting methodology of the FCC, the units are in 64 Kilobits/second equivalencies, using different units than the more common units of Table A-2. Table A-4 also provides trans-Atlantic cable capacities over the same period. Table A-5 shows growth in telecommunications traffic since 1996 for the Pacific and Eastern Caribbean, for the service of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (as discussed in Appendix B).

Note that capacities grew relatively steadily between 1988 and about 1998-1999, when second-generation fibre-optic cable began to serve the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean areas. Such cables generally have one thousand times the capacities of first-generation cable systems, and are upgradeable in-place after installation.

After such a system’s proposed life span of 15 years, hoped-for benefits may be enough to justify laying spurs from future cable deployments between Australia, New Zealand, North America and Asia.

A partnership between a postulated PACTEL, the telecommunications industry, and developmental partners should be able to find the funds to capitalize such a project, if Pacific island States complete necessary policy steps to lay a framework for sustainable and successful outcomes from such cabling. ECTEL, the SAT3/WASC/SAFE cable developers, Telekom PNG, and the IRIS Cable Corporation (all described below) should have good advice on how to pursue such a project.

Table A-2. Trans-Pacific Communications Cables

This table compiles salient information about trans-Pacific telecommunications cables. The listing omits cables linking the Korean Peninsula, Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan POC, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and mainland Asia with themselves or Australia, the Indian Ocean, Africa or Europe. Major sources for this compilation include the International Cable Protection Committee⁶, the Atlantic Cable Site⁷, and Wikipedia⁸, but other sources have been used, such as press announcements about cables not yet in use.

Table A-2. Trans-Pacific Communications Cables

Name	Short Name	In-Service Year	Retired Year	Use	Capacity Gb/second	Length (km)	Routing / Cost
Asia-America Gateway	AAG	2008		Future	1280	20000	Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Philippines, Guam, HI, CA
Trans-Pacific Express	TPE	2008		Future	960	n/a	RoK, China, Taiwan POC, CA
Guam-Micronesia-Marshall(?)	GMM?	2007?		Under Construction	n/a	2175?	Guam, Micronesia (Pohnpei), Marshall Is. (Kwajalein, Majuro) / ($67.4 million?)
Australia-Papua New Guinea 2	APNG-2	2006		In use	0.56	1800	Aust, PNG / $11 million (note – re-deployed PacRimWest cable)
VSNL Pacific	VSNL-Transpac	2003		In use	5120	24192	Japan, Guam, HI, OR, CA
Japan – US Cable	Japan-US	2001		In use	640	21000	Japan, HI, CA / $1000 million
Southern Cross Cable Network	SouthernCross	2001		In use	480	30500	Aust, NZ, CA, OR, HI, Fiji / $800 million
Australia – Japan Cable	AJC	2000		In use	640	12700	Aust, Guam, Japan / $350 million (Australia-Guam cost)
Pacific Crossing 1	PC-1	2000		In use	640	21000	CA, WA, Japan / $1200 million
China – US Cable Network	CUCN	2000		In use	80	30000	CA, OR, Guam, Okinawa, Japan, RoK, Taiwan POC, China / $1100 million
Guam-Philippines	G-P	1999		In use	20	3600	Guam, Philippines
MTC Mariana-Guam Cable	MTC	1997		In use	3732	240	Guam, Marianias (Rota, Tinian, Saipan)
Palau Inter-Island System	PII	1996		In use	5?	200?	Many nodes in Palau – domestic (6 fibres)
Trans-Pacific Cable #5	TPC-5	1996		In use	10	24593	OR, CA, HI, Guam, Japan / $1348 million
Pacific Rim West Cable	PacRimWest	1995	2006	Reuse?	0.56	7062	Aust, Guam / $282 million
Pacific Rim East Cable	PacRimEast	1995		Reuse?	0.56	7855	HI, NZ / $280 million
Tasman 2	Tasman 2	1995		In use	1	2195	Aust. NZ
Micronesian Interisland System	MIC	1993		In use	0.622	240	Guam, Marianias (Rota, Tinian, Saipan)
Trans-Pacific Cable #4	TPC-4	1992	2004	Reuse?	1.68	9843	CA, BC, Japan / $408 million
Marshall Inter-Island	Marshall Inter-Island	1992		In use	14.4	232	Kwajalein, Marshall Islands
North Pacific Cable	NPC	1991	2004	Reuse?	1.26	9531	AK, OR, Japan
Guam-Philippines-Taiwan	GPT	1990	2003	Reuse?	0.28	3749	Guam, Taiwan POC, Philippines
Trans-Pacific Cable #3	TPC-3	1989	2003	Reuse?	0.28	9161	HI, Guam, Japan / $601 million
Australia-New Zealand-Canada	ANZCAN	1984	2002	Retired	Analogue	19323	BC, HI, Fiji, Norfolk Is., Aust, NZ (some parts out-of-service)
ANZCAN “B” Fiji-Norfolk Island	ANZCAN-B	1983	2001	Retired	Analogue	1845	Fiji, Norfolk Island
Japan Sea Cable	JASC	1976	1996	Science	Analogue	884
Trans-Pacific Cable #2	TPC-2	1975	1994	Science	Analogue	9038	Guam, Okinawa, HI
Taiwan – Guam	TAIGU	1975	1995	Retired	Analogue		Taiwan POC, Guam
Hawaii – Johnston Island	Wet Wash C	1975		In use	Analogue	1424	HI, Johnston Is.
SEACOM	SEACOM	1966	1986	Retired	Analogue		Aust, PNG, Guam, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore
Trans-Pacific Cable #1	TPC-1	1964	1990	Science	Analogue	12501	Hi, Midway Is., Wake Is., Guam, Philippines, Japan
Commonwealth Pacific Cable	COMPAC	1963	1984	Science	Analogue	15248	BC, HI, Fiji, NZ, Aust
Australia-Papua New Guinea	A-PNG	1963	2006	Retired	Analogue	897	Aust, PNG
Norfolk Island – Fiji		1926	1964	Retired	Telegraph		Norfolk Is., Fiji, BC
Auckland – Sydney		1923	1964	Retired	Telegraph		Aust., NZ
New Zealand – Fiji		1923	1964	Retired	Telegraph		NZ, Fiji
Auckland – Sydney		1912	1964	Retired	Telegraph		Aust., NZ
Norfolk Island – Fiji		1902	1964	Retired	Telegraph		Norfolk Is., Fiji, BC
Norfolk Island – Southport		1902	1964	Retired	Telegraph		Aust., NZ, Norfolk Island
Bundaberg – New Caledonia		1893	1898	Retired	Telegraph		Aust., New Caledonia
La Perouse – Nelson		1890	1956	Retired	Telegraph		Aust., NZ
La Perouse – Wakapauka		1876	1932	Retired	Telegraph		Aust., NZ

Table A-3. Pacific Cable and Satellite Circuit Activity Reported to the USA Federal Communications Commission

Economy	2004				2000				1996
	Combined	SatCom	Cable		Combined	SatCom	Cable		Combined	Satcom	Cable
American Samoa	418	418	0		187	187	0		82	82	0
Australia*	124505	4277	120228		55787	7336	48451		4707	291	4416
Cook Islands	0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Fiji	311	14	297		131	85	46		46	26	20
French Polynesia	42	42	0		57	57	0		35	35	0
Guam*	2548	655	1873		1970	6	1964		627	94	533
Hawaii	2740	60	2680		1022	24	998		162	29	133
Kiribati	0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Marshall Islands	883	883	0		163	156	7		70	68	2
Micronesia	89	89	0		70	70	0		65	65	0
Nauru	0	0	0		8	8	0		8	8	0
New Caledonia	8	8	0		8	8	0		4	4	0
New Zealand*	6901	453	6448		7063	2300	4783		883	119	764
Niue	0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Northern Mariana Is.	547	227	320		501	138	363		337	337	0
Palau	109	109	0		37	37	0		28	28	0
Papua New Guinea*	38	8	30		23	8	15		18	10	8
Samoa	8	8	0		16	16	0		13	13	0
Solomon Islands	0	0	0		30	30	0		0	0	0
Timor Leste	0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Tokelau	0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Tonga	31	31	0		30	30	0		30	30	0
Tuvalu	0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Vanuatu	0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Total Pacific	139158	7282	131876		67103	10496	56627		7115	1239	5876
Pacific ex. AU, NZ, HI	5012	1837	2520		3231	836	2395		1363	800	563

Note: Units are 64 Kilobit-per-second equivalents, the minimum reportable amount according to the FCC methodology. See text for an explanation of the reporting and results.

Some figures for * marked States were not reported for 2004. Values for recent years (2002 & 2003) are presented.

Table A-4. Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic Cable Capacities, 1988-2008

	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998
Trans-Pacific	0	8	8	25	40	72	62	70	191	191	312
T-P Growth %			0	213	60	55	0	13	172	0	63
Trans-Atlantic	8	25	25	62	85	161	251	312	372	796	2005
T-A Growth %		213	0	0	148	37	89	56	32	24	136

	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006 est.	2007 est.	2008 est.
Trans-Pacific	1400	2610	5271	6118	12763	16596	16596	16596	16603	30119
T-P Growth %	349	86	102	134	109	30	0	0?	0?	81?
Trans-Atlantic	2005	6602	21843	21835	27580	27200	27200	27200	?	?
T-A Growth %	165	236	333	0	26	-1	0	0	?	?

Figure A-5 plots these data

Figure A-5. Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic Cable Capacities, 1988-2008

Table B2 lists historic cable systems serving the Pacific Ocean, including some announced systems planned for near-future deployment. The list is based on several sources⁹.

Table A-5. Growth in overall telecommunications traffic (excluding broadcasting) In the Pacific and the Eastern Caribbean

Grouping	2004 Combined	2004 SatCom	2004 Cable	2000 Combined	2000 SatCom	2000 Cable	1996 Combined	1996 SatCom	1996 Cable
Pacific	139158	1915	131876	67103	10496	56627	7115	1239	5876
Pacific (ex. Au,NZ,HI)	5012	2492	2520	3231	836	2395	1363	800	563
ECaribbean	2582	224	2463	1966	265	1701	1174	201	972
ECTEL	1181	28	1153	722	44	678	287	30	256

Note: “Pacific” denotes all Pacific areas noted in Table B2, as reported by FCC documentation noted in the text. “Pacific (ex. AU, NZ, HI)” denotes all Pacific areas noted in Table B2, except Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. ECaribbean denotes Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucka, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Turks and Caicos Islands. ECTEL denotes Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority area of Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Note that (1) Pacific connectivity levels are higher, and growing more rapidly than in the Eastern Caribbean as a whole, and that (2) satellite communication plays a larger role in the Pacific than in the Caribbean. Growth in telecommunications traffic reported to the FCC grew by:

• 1895% in the Pacific (due to the dominance of fibre-optic cabling since its introduction to the Pacific in the 1990s,

• 311% in the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority service area – coincident with the efforts to organize ECTEL, deregulate and facilitate growth in telecommunications in the ECTEL service area,

• 267% in the Pacific islands outside Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii, mostly due to growth in a few States. Many States grew almost negligibly during the period of rapid cable deployment – still remaining dependent on satellite communications capacities which apparently did not grow in those countries, despite the global trend toward greater capacity Ku band satellite coverage.

Figure A-6. Plot of the Data of Table A-5: Growth in overall telecommunications traffic (excluding broadcasting) In the Pacific and the Eastern Caribbean