FONEOLOGY marked its 20th anniversary on Thursday night with a celebration at the Five Princess hotel in Suva, capping two decades of growth from a modest mobile phone service centre into a diversified technology and professional services provider. Managing director James Trusler used the milestone to reflect on the company’s origins in 2006 and the partnerships and pivots that fuelled its expansion.
Trusler said the business was founded after the team identified widespread complaints about mobile phone repair services, and credited early assistance from the then Fiji Trades and Investment Bureau — now Investment Fiji — for helping get the venture off the ground. “Sony Ericsson — Mick Dryden was super keen to help get us up and running and signed us up as their service centre. Alcatel, Motorola, a few others then Samsung and Apple followed a few years later,” he told guests, underscoring how manufacturer relationships shaped FONEOLOGY’s early trajectory.
While the company still repairs mobile phones, Trusler said its Appliances Service Centre now provides warranty repair services for the full range of Samsung products, extending beyond handsets to TVs, washing machines, fridge freezers and other household appliances. That expansion into appliance servicing reflects a broader shift in the business model from single-product repairs to multi-brand, multi-category after-sales and technical support.
Shivnesh Datt, Foneology Services manager for Autonomous and Evolving Technology (AE&T), described the internal diversification he has witnessed during his 11 years with the company. Datt highlighted the launch of a cherry picker hire service, the opening of several new brands in 2019, the establishment of an iCentre office in 2020, and later moves into law enforcement body-worn cameras. “All the progress showed that this company is always evolving, always looking ahead,” he said.
Today FONEOLOGY’s offerings span GPS vehicle tracking systems, dash and reverse cameras, alarm and CCTV systems, body-worn cameras, home automation, and back-end support for speed camera operations. The business has also been recognised for its performance on the international stage, winning the Prime Ministers International Business Awards for three consecutive years from 2016.
Trusler acknowledged the company’s uneven journey, pointing to the severe impact of COVID-19 on the country’s economy and businesses. He said the post-pandemic period has brought a new and sustained challenge: a tightening labour market and a shortage of workers across sectors in Fiji — an issue he signalled would shape FONEOLOGY’s planning going forward.
The anniversary event brought together staff and management for a formal cake-cutting and celebration, marking the latest development in a story of steady reinvention. With two decades behind it and a widened portfolio of services and brands, FONEOLOGY positions itself as a local provider of both consumer-facing repairs and specialist technology solutions, even as it navigates workforce constraints and the evolving needs of Fijian businesses and agencies.