Internet in Samoa

1
Internet in Samoa

• Information Paper
• Alex Abraham
• Samoa Communications Ltd
• May 2002

2
Country Profile

• Samoa is located east of the international
  dateline between longitude 171 172 Degrees west,
  and latitude 13 14 degrees south of the equator.
  It is situated approximately 2890Km north-east
  of Auckland, New Zealand, 1200Km north-east of
  Suva, Fiji, 4400km north east of Sydney,
  Australia and 8400km southwest of Los Angeles.

3
Country Profile

• Capital Apia
• Area 2934 sq. km
• Population 174,0001
• Urban Population 20
• GDP ST771.4million
• GDP per capita ST4,436
• Telephone Densityy
• Overall 6.5
• Rural 1.8
• Main Telephone Lines
• Urban 8960
• Rural 2497
• Waiting List for Telephone Lines
• Urban 1859
• Rural 1764
• 1 Department of Statistics - 1997 Estimates

• Cellular Subscribers 3,200
• Cellular Waiting List 1000 approximately
• Internet Subscribers 2,200 approximately
• International Outgoing Traffic
• 13,745,617 million minutes
• International Incoming Traffic
• 12,907,841 million minutes
• Network Digitalization
• Switching 100
• Transmission
• All international Circuits
• All inter-exchange links

4
Background

• Samoa Communications Ltd (SCL) incumbent
  communication service provider. Corporatised in
  July 1999 and continues to hold a 10 year
  exclusive license. It owns and operates all
  telecommunication infrastructure and facilities
  and provides fixed telephone and postal service.
• Telecom Samoa Cellular Limited joint venture
  between Govt of Samoa and Telecom Pacific
  Investments Ltd (Subsidiary of Telecom New
  Zealand Ltd)
• Ministry of Posts Telecommunications
• Responsible for formulating appropriate policies
  for communication sector
• Charged with licensing and monitoring service
  providers
• Managing Spectrum

5
Current Situation

• Main Gateway
• Provided by SCL
• Main Internet Exchange, Internet Wholesaler
• Two satellite connection
• Teleglobe, Canada 2Mbps Downlink, 512Kbps Uplink
• Reach Australia 256Kbps Downlink, 256Kbps Uplink
• Backbone
• Fast Ethernet 100/1000Mbps

• Commercial Internet Service Providers
• Three Service Providers
• Computer Services Limited
• IPasifika
• Lesa Telephone Services
• ISP Connectivity
• Serial HDSL 2Mbps to 512Kbps (All Symmetrical)
• User Connectivity
• Dial Up Access Mainly 33.3Kbps
• Recently introduced 56Kbps now available
• Lease Line 64Kbps to 128Kbps

6
Current Situation

• Upgraded all Routers to High Speed Routers
• Introduction of 800 number- Free call for users
• Removal of National Toll Call for those who call
  from Savaii Island
• New Network Access Server Total 180 Ports
  Wholesale Dial Up
• ISDN-Basic Rate Ready
• Most Users Government Businesses
• Residential Limited to Urban Area
• Computer Penetration - Low
• High cost of computers money value and import
  duty (20) and VAGST
• No ICT policies and Strategies in place
• No agency, or organization to promote ICT

7
Internet Routing

• BGP introduced late year since the introduction
  of the Reach Link as backup link for Samoa
• Samoas Autonomous System Number (ASN) is 17993
  issued by APNIC.
• International Routing Policy
• All SCL traffic to transverse via the Reach Link
• All other ISP traffic to transverse via the
  Teleglobe Link
• Failover if one International link fails
• No traffic from outside allowed to transit Samoa
• Domestic Routing Policy
• No Restrictions

8
Network Layout
Reach ASN 4637
Teleglobe ASN 6453
BGP
256Kbps
512Kbps
256Kbps
2Mbps
SAMCOM ASN 17993
OSPF
1.5Mbps
256Kbps
256Kbps
CSL
IPasifika
Lesa
9
Tariff Rates

• Currently three ISPs share the cost depending on
  bandwidth
• Average user pays approximately 2.50/hr to
  8.00/hr
• Proposal Changing pricing structure to the
  following charges for ISPs
• Usage charge per Mbyte for International and
  Local traffic
• User Calls to 800 Number
• Monthly Access Fee
• User might be expected to pay up to 2 times more
  for internet access. Now user will have to pay
  for usage Hours
• Using Cisco NetFlow for collecting traffic flows
• Billings, and Traffic Analysis

10
Whats the Future?

• Establishing Public Network
• Identifying ways to reduce costs
• Looking for another Internet Provider
• Introducing QoS
• Increasing International Bandwidth
• Introducing other means of access
• Wireless, Cable, and Fibre

11
Thanks

• Questions
• Contact
• Alex Abraham
• IT Manager
• Samoa Communications Ltd
• Beach Road, Apia
• SAMOA
• Tel/Fax [phone] 24000
• E-mail alexa_at_samcom.com.ws