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President Mori Holds Meeting with FSM Telecom to Discuss Fiber Optic Cable Options

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): January 13, 2010 - On Tuesday, January 5, 2010, President Mori held a meeting between members of the Executive Branch and members of the FSM Telecom Corporation (FSMTC) to discuss FSM Telecom's plan for the newly laid submarine fiber optic cable (SFOC) to Pohnpei State and the connectivity issues of hooking up the other states. Representing FSM Telecom was Mr. Takuro Akinaga, General Manager of FSMTC, and Mr. Freddy Perman, Manager of Marketing/Customer Care.

In the meeting, Mr. Akinaga provided a briefing on the FSMTC Board of Director's decision to approve extra funding to upgrade the existing systems in all four FSM states to provide the infrastructure to allow for high speed internet, a larger capacity, and for cable TV. This will be done by installing ADSL 2Plus, a new method of providing broadband internet, which will allow for triple the internet speeds that the islands currently see. It will also be able to be delivered over the existing telephone landlines, so it will be available to more customers.

President Mori made it clear that his policy on the SFOC is that all four FSM States should be connected to the high speed cable in order to enable them to have broadband connectivity which will provide social and economic development in each state. Mr. Akinaga explained that FSMTC is willing to work with the Executive Branch to provide necessary information to aid the National Government in pursuing funding sources for the connectivity to the other states besides Pohnpei.

President Mori has created an SFOC Task Force to look in the marketability and cost of connecting the other states to the SFOC, with the Department of Transportation, Communication & Infrastructure taking the lead. The Task Force will be meeting shortly to look at pursuing grants from potential donors for the connectivity of the other states with assistance of members of the FSMTC staff.