PITA News/Telecom
High Speed Service For Fiji Customers
Telecom Fiji will soon deploy ISDN or Integrated Service Digital Network, which will facilitate, among other things, videoconferencing and high speed Internet to ISDN compliant Fiji customers. ISDN is four times faster than the normal dial-up speeds.
Internet efficiency has always been an issue for debate in the country. By November, when the network will be officially launched, businesses and residential users, who have switched to the digital system are bound to experience a significant upgrade in Internet-related services. What's possible with ISDN?
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- Rapid Internet access and downloading.
- Quick transfer of files between computers.
- Performing two tasks simultaneously.
- Provide dial-backup for your data links.
- Videoconferencing around the world.
- Link with other offices.
- Work from home.
- Fax faster with laser print quality.
ISDN is the digital equivalent of the analogue-based Public Switched Telephone Network or PSTN. Its flexibility allows multi-tasked functions. "We're offering services that we believe the market needs now," said Eugene Singh, Telecom's manager (New Business Development).
To gauge the performance of ISDN, Telecom Fiji has selected "innovative" businesses in the Suva exchange area to experiment its potential service through market trials. Connecting to the Internet is on a dial-on-demand basis, giving the same performance as a 128kbps digital data circuit.
"It doesn't require much change in your systems. You just install a drive and you're off and away. It's going to make Fiji more productive," Singh said.
"We believe it's the right time now because the market is ready. Previously, when we brought in new technology it was not valued by the market. But now they've noticed the difference. They know what it means for them. Now, a lot more people are technically literate, they know what change in speed means for them."
These Internet-related services will be offered through Connect, Telecom Fiji's spin-off ISP company. Telecom Fiji's service will run through FINTEL (Fiji International Telecommunications Limited), as the latter remains the gateway to international telecommunications. At the moment FINTEL provides full broadband capacity to its Suva Internet kiosk via FINTEL's Southern Cross Cable network that was launched last year.
ISDN services can be extended up to seven kilometres from Telecom Fiji exchanges and will be available in most locations where existing telephone network reaches. Meanwhile, on the prospects of ISDN: "We look at ISDN as an incubating product for high speed services in Fiji. We're watching what the market will do to it. If six months into the rollout we see there's a good response, then we'll plan for DSL rollout."
While ISDN is an on-demand technology with a minimum of 128kbps speed, DSL is an always-on technology and with speeds up to 8mbps. However, Singh adds that whether Telecom Fiji releases an 8mbps variant remains indefinite.
Polycom, a United States-based global manufacturer of VCUs or videoconferencing units, assisted Telecom in the demonstrations to trial customers. Polycom is a supplier for video-conferencing enabling equipment that work over both the Internet and ISDN. Telecom Fiji has approached Polycom to be a distributor of VCUs in Fiji.
Regional education institution, the University of the South Pacific, already has an extensive Polycom network around the region running the university's satellite-based USP Net.
Singh explains that should USP Net upgrade its systems to be ISDN compliant, it would mean improving the utility of the university's videoconferencing investment, as video sessions could be conducted on a need-to basis as opposed to the continually leasing transmission capacity. This would reduce the university's operating costs.
Telecom Fiji is also contemplating taking the videoconferencing service to the Fiji public. "We're thinking of setting up videoconferencing centers in Suva, probably Namaka or Nadi, Lautoka and Labasa so that people off the street can come in, pay for a session and use the facilities." These centers could also be used by businesses for point-to-point meetings with up to three remote sites cutting travel time, accommodation costs and improving productivity.
