3 Dec 2010

Cooks in line for fast broadband internet

12:46 pm on 3 December 2010

Telecom Cook Islands Chief Executive Jules Maher says the company can now plan ahead with more certainty following the announcement by O3b Networks that it has secured all the funding needed to complete building and launching eight satellites by 2013.

Telecom Cook Islands signed a deal with O3b to deliver fast broadband to the Cooks.

The CEO of Telecom Cook Islands, Jules Maher, says the O3b announcement is hugely significant for the Cook Islands as the satellites can provide low-latency, fibre-quality internet connectivity for remote locations.

Mr Maher says between now and 2013, Telecom Cook Islands can progressively improve internet access.

The company expects to announce new internet plans early next year.

Telecom Cook Islands, is 60 percent owned by Telecom New Zealand while 40 percent is owned by the Cook Islands government.

The previous government was widely criticised for failing to open up the Cook Islands telecommunications market to competition