FSMT Cable Corporation
P.O Box 2202,
Kolonia, Pohnpei, FM 96941
Phone: (691) 320-2602
Pohnpei, FSM, November 24, 2020
Publication FSMT Cable Corporation Wholesale Pricing Information Pack
Dear valued customers, potential construction partners and key stakeholders in improving the performance, price and availability of internet services across all of FSM,
FSMT Cable Corporation, the Government owned Open Access Entity (OAE), is pleased to release its proposed wholesale pricing for the upcoming fiber to the home project and for the interstate and international submarine cables. Both proposals are attached.
The Digital FSM project was signed off by Congress earlier this year and amongst other upgrades, it is scheduled to build fiber to the home infrastructure to all homes, businesses and offices on the main islands of Yap, Pohnpei and Kosrae and expand connectivity through the Chuuk lagoon.
Investing in fiber to the home technology will complete the link between the homes, schools, businesses and Government Agencies of FSM to the high capacity submarine cables recently built to Yap and Chuuk. Plans are in place to connect Kosrae to Pohnpei and upgrade the link connecting Pohnpei, Chuuk and Kosrae to Guam to a ten times faster technology.
Grant funding through World Bank guarantees that the capital costs of installing the new high capacity networks are covered meaning that only the day to day operating costs need to be met by local homes and businesses. This should mean that low cost, high speed, unlimited connections to the internet will become the new normal for FSM.
The proposed wholesale pricing structure is set to enable homes to receive high-speed internet for the same sort of price they pay today for a basic service.
The consumer wholesale price will be $10 per month, once retail service providers add their costs, prices are expected to be around $30-$35 per month for a high-speed service.
Business and Government prices will be higher than home prices but they are also expected to get a higher-grade service. OAE expects service providers to offer 1Gbps, 10Gbps services over these ensuring access to the latest cloud-based services. Prices will be lower and services faster than over existing networks including the new satellite services.
Wholesale prices for fiber access and international connectivity are the same across each state, meaning that everyone should pay the same amount for fiber.
OAE is also starting to look for construction partners to help build the fiber networks. The construction investment is expected to total approximately $10m and the strong preference is to use local capability where possible.
The FSM Telecommunication Regulations Authority (TRA) is tasked by law to identify service providers with an interest to acquire a license to operate within the territory of FSM.
Further information is available on the OAE website including information for potential builders and service providers.
Please feel free to get in touch with myself or any of the OAE team for further information.
Kind regards,
Pieter Bakker
Chief Executive Officer,
FSMT Cable Corporation