Fiji regulator pushes open access and clearer standards to boost Pacific connectivity
Providing a conducive environment where the tech industry can thrive remains central to delivering faster, affordable, reliable and fair connectivity for all, according to Senikavika Jiuta, chief executive of Fiji’s Competition and Consumer Commission. As head of the country’s competition regulator—which also oversees interconnection services among telecom operators and wholesale data pricing—Ms Jiuta spoke during the two-day Pacific Fiber Conference and Training in Nadi, which opened this week.
From a regulatory vantage point, she stressed the importance of listening to improve service quality, set clear standards, and build better infrastructure, all of which should translate into fewer complaints. “For a regulator, we need to know, apart from the tech side of things, the deployments, the rollout,” she said, adding that regulators can then establish enforceable standards for speed and latency.
Ms Jiuta noted that fibre-based networks offer greater resilience and capacity compared with copper or older wireless systems. She found the discussions from the conference invaluable for understanding the technical specifics behind submissions, so regulators aren’t left approving plans without full visibility of what happens behind the scenes.
The first day’s sessions featuring Google and Pacific peers such as Telstra provided practical insights into the technical landscape and underscored the push for minimum service benchmarks. A representative from the Philippines highlighted cybersecurity and latency improvements as paths to better service, reinforcing the need for regulators to stay closely informed about evolving technologies.
Affordable access through competition was a core theme, with the conference highlighting open access network models or shared infrastructure as a way to reduce costs for smaller ISPs and foster price competition for end users. Jiuta described the event as a prime opportunity to explore public-private partnerships and collaborative approaches that can accelerate deployment while protecting consumer interests.
Context and broader outlook
The Pacific Fiber Conference is aligned with Fiji’s broader digital agenda, including national strategies that emphasize digital infrastructure, cybersecurity and inclusion. The gathering sits alongside ongoing efforts to modernize the region’s digital landscape, with regional dialogues and initiatives focused on fiber-satellite convergence, smart island solutions, and the integration of AI, 5G, cloud computing and cybersecurity into Pacific connectivity strategies. Public support for a coordinated push to turn Fiji into a regional digital hub is evident in high-level engagement and ongoing investments in last-mile infrastructure.
Key developments in Fiji’s digital trajectory include a national strategy designed to guide investment, capacity-building, and digital public services, with an emphasis on resilient and inclusive connectivity. The push toward a blended architecture—combining fibre with satellite and terrestrial links—aims to ensure reliable service even in the face of natural disasters, while cybersecurity remains a central pillar of planning.
What this means for policy and practice
– Open access and shared infrastructure can lower barriers for smaller providers and stimulate competition, which is likely to translate into better prices and service options for consumers.
– Regulators will need to stay closely aligned with technology developers and service providers to create standards for speed, latency, and reliability that reflect current capabilities.
– Public-private partnerships will be crucial to extending last-mile connectivity, particularly in rural and maritime areas.
– The broader digital roadmap—encompassing fibre, 5G, satellites and cybersecurity—creates a framework for sustainable growth and resilience across Fiji and the wider Pacific region.
Summary
The Pacific Fiber Conference is shaping Fiji’s role as a regional digital hub by bringing regulators, operators and technology leaders together to discuss practical paths to affordable, reliable connectivity. Through a focus on shared infrastructure, enforceable performance standards, and strategic public-private collaboration, the event reinforces the region’s momentum toward inclusive digital growth and resilience.
Outlook and positive note
As Fiji continues to align regulatory measures with rapid tech advancement, the country’s approach—emphasizing openness, competition, and resilient infrastructure—offers a hopeful model for the Pacific. If regulatory clarity and collaborative investments keep pace with technological innovation, households and businesses across Fiji and its neighbours stand to gain faster, fairer access to digital services that empower education, healthcare, commerce and everyday life.
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