Telecommunications in the Solomon Islands

Communications in the Solomon Islands.

Communications by type

Telephones - main lines in use: 13,000 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 55,000 (2009). A new mobile telecommunications operator, Bemobile, commenced operations in 2010.

Telephone system:
domestic: GSM mobile phone network covering all provincial capitals along with several other townships and villages and a landline system covering all provincial capitals and some townships.
Backhaul is principally via satellite along with some microwave and fibre optic.
international: satellite earth stations based in Honiara and Gizo - Intelsat (Pacific Ocean).
Solomon Islands has no undersea fibre connection.

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 3 Paoa FM, ZFM100, Wan FM and Gold FM, shortwave 1 (2002). The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, founded in 1976, transmits regular programming.

Radio Receivers: 57,000 (1997) In addition to regular broadcast stations, several shortwave utility station networks exist, such as the Church of Melanesia network.

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2009). Transmitters are located in Honiara, Auki and Gizo, programming is a mixture of local news and other locally generated content in Solomon Islands Pidgin and English, along with content from Australia Network, Television New Zealand and Aljazeera.
In Honiara BBC World and Australia Network are also broadcast free-to-air on separate channels.

Televisions: 3,000 (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Solomon Telekom http://www.telekom.com.sb SATSOL http://www.satsol.tv/internet.html

People First Network (PFnet) operate a community email network with 17 rural access points (Apr 2005) http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/general/pfnet.htm

PFnet is also establishing a VSAT network of distance learning centres in rural community schools under an EU-funded project http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/dlcp It is hoped each host school will contribute to the Wikipedia or create their own wikis.

Country code (Top level domain): SB

See also

• Telephone numbers in the Solomon Islands