Telecommunications in Tonga

Telecommunications in Tonga include radio, television, telephones, and the Internet.

Telephone

Further information: Telephone numbers in Tonga

Main lines in use: 14,697 (2018)[1]

Telephones - mobile cellular: 107,938 (2018)[2]

Telephone system:

Fixed PSTN, GSM 900

Main Island has 4G mobile. [3]


domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean))

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 1 (2005), FM 5 (2005), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 61,000 (1997)

Television

Broadcast stations: 4 (2005)

Televisions: 2,000 (1997)

In April 2002 the Tongasat company started its own satellite telecommunication service when it obtained the Esiafi 1 (former private American Comstar D4) satellite (launched in 1981) that was moved to Tonga's own geostationary point.

Internet

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2005)

Country code (Top level domain): .to

Broadband internet communication is provided by the Tonga Cable System that went online in April 2018.[4]

On 15 January 2022, following a volcanic eruption on the island of Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai, the Tonga Cable System was severed, leaving the country without Internet access.[5] Using a satellite dish at the University of the South Pacific, the telecommunications company Digicel provided limited 2G coverage to the island of Tongatapu, as well as giving residents free SIM cards.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ "The World Factbook". 6 January 2022.
  2. ^ "The World Factbook". 6 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Traveltomtom". 12 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Successful completion of Tonga Domestic Cable System". 27 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Alert: Internet has been severed in #Tonga". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  6. ^ "How will Tonga's broken internet cable be mended?". BBC News. 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  7. ^ Duckett, Chris. "Digicel reconnects Tongan users via satellite to rest of the world". ZDNet. Retrieved 2022-01-25.