During the annual general meeting of Amalgamated Telecom Holdings (ATH) held in Suva, concerns regarding the network issues faced by residents of the Lau group were highlighted by a shareholder from Vanuabalavu. This shareholder expressed frustration over the inadequate connectivity, which is hindering Lauans from accessing global markets.
In response, ATH’s CEO Ivan Fong acknowledged the challenges but clarified that rural connectivity largely depends on the government and its universal service obligation requirements for telecom companies in Fiji. Fong explained that ATH contributes to a Universal Service Fund, which is managed by the Telecommunications Authority of Fiji (TAF) under government direction.
He noted that in previous years, the initiatives to improve rural connectivity have been somewhat limited due to high costs associated with extending services. However, the emergence of Starlink and similar satellite solutions is expected to simplify the challenge of connecting rural areas.
Currently, discussions are underway with the government regarding approximately 300 villages and communities that are targeted for improved coverage. Telecom operators including Telecom, Vodafone, and Digicel have expressed interest in participating in these efforts once the priorities are established and tender processes initiated.
In addition to addressing connectivity issues, the AGM also covered financial outcomes, where a final dividend of three cents per share was approved, amounting to a total payout of $14.357 million. The ATH Group reported a net profit after tax of $9.2 million from a revenue of $936 million for the financial year ending June 2024. ATH, listed on the South Pacific Stock Exchange, had shares trading at $2.10 at the time of reporting.
This proactive approach by ATH and the willingness of telecom operators to engage in improving rural connectivity gives hope that these regions could soon benefit from enhanced telecommunication services, ultimately bridging the gap between them and global markets.
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