Lightning-Fast Internet Finally Arrives in Tonga’s Far-Flung Islands? A Deep Dive into Tonga’s Connectivity Boom and Challenges

Key Facts

• Population & Internet Use: Tonga has around 104,000 people, of whom roughly 60,800 (58.5%) were using the internet as of early 2025 ^[1]. Social media usage is similarly high, with about 64% on social platforms ^[2]. Most users connect via mobile networks, as there were 92,600 active mobile subscriptions (89% of the population) in 2025 ^[3].
• Primary ISPs: Internet access is dominated by two telecom companies – Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC) and Digicel Tonga – which together serve ~88% of the market ^[4]. A smaller player, WanTok Tonga (formerly Toko Wireless/EziNET), holds ~3% share ^[5]. In late 2024 both TCC and Digicel rolled out commercial 5G mobile service in the capital, delivering speeds over 500–800 Mbps in tests ^{[6] [7]}.
• Submarine Cable Backbone: Since 2013, Tonga’s internet lifeline has been an 827 km submarine fiber-optic cable linking the main island (Tongatapu) to Fiji (and onward to the global internet via the Southern Cross cable) ^[8]. An extension of this cable was completed in 2018 to connect the outer islands of Ha’apai and Vava’u ^[9]. A second international cable (the Tonga Hawaiki Branch) is under construction (jointly funded by Australia and New Zealand) to link Tonga directly into a trans-Pacific cable system by late 2025 ^{[10] [11]}.
• Satellite Internet Options: Tonga has historically relied on satellites for backup and remote island connectivity. The country signed a 15-year deal with Kacific for satellite broadband backup in 2019, though a payment dispute ensued ^[12] (now settled in 2023) ^{[13] [14]}. In the wake of outages, operators also use SES (O3b) and Intelsat services to restore links ^{[15] [16]}. In a game-changing move, the government approved Starlink (SpaceX’s low-Earth orbit satellite service) in Dec 2024, allowing high-speed, low-latency internet via Starlink’s satellite constellation ^[17]. Starlink is available through authorized local resellers (Digicel, TCC, and WanTok) and already accounts for an estimated 8% of Tonga’s internet market in 2025 ^[18].
• Internet Speeds & Costs: Due to limited bandwidth on the single cable, typical internet speeds have been modest – average download speeds have been measured around 3.5 Mbps in recent years ^[19]. However, speeds are improving with 4G/5G upgrades and Starlink. Internet affordability has improved: a basic mobile broadband package (e.g. 1 GB data) costs roughly 2% of average monthly income, meeting global affordability benchmarks ^[20]. Prepaid mobile data plans range from about $5 to $30 USD depending on data volume ^[21], and unlimited home broadband (via 5G) is offered around $200 USD/month ^[22].
• Geographic Coverage: About 95% of Tongans have access to at least a 4G signal, covering all main inhabited islands ^[23]. The new 5G networks currently cover parts of the capital Nuku’alofa (~30% of the population) ^[24], with expansion ongoing. Many rural villages and outer islands still rely on 3G or satellite connectivity. Notably, around 77% of the population lives in rural or outer island areas ^[25], making universal coverage a logistical challenge.
• Major Vulnerabilities: Tonga’s connectivity has proven fragile due to natural disasters and single points of failure. In January 2019, a subsea cable break (caused by a ship’s anchor) knocked out national internet for 12 days ^[26]. In January 2022, the eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai volcano severed the only international cable, plunging Tonga into digital darkness for over a month ^{[27] [28]}. More recently, in June 2024, an undersea earthquake snapped the domestic cable to Vava’u and Ha’apai, cutting off those islands until repairs could be made ^{[29] [30]}. These incidents underscore the need for redundancy and emergency backups.
• Government Initiatives: Tonga’s government has prioritized improving internet resilience and access. It has partnered with donors (World Bank, ADB, Australia, NZ) to fund cable projects ^{[31] [32]}. The state-owned TCC and government share ownership in Tonga Cable Ltd (along with Digicel) ^[33]. The regulator (MEIDECC) enforces open access and price regulation on wholesale bandwidth to keep internet prices down. The government has also pushed digital initiatives in e-government and cybersecurity (scoring 54.4 on the UN e-gov index in 2023) ^[34]. Initially cautious about unlicensed Starlink use, the government responded to public pressure by fast-tracking Starlink permits in 2024 ^{[35] [36]}, and now embraces satellite competition to connect remote communities ^[37].

1. Overview of Internet Access in Tonga

Tonga – a Polynesian kingdom of over 170 islands – has seen dramatic improvements in internet connectivity over the past decade. Prior to 2013, Tonga’s internet was limited to expensive, slow satellite links, resulting in low penetration and high costs. This changed when the nation’s first submarine fiber-optic cable went live in August 2013, delivering affordable high-speed internet to Tongans “for the first time ever” ^[38]. The 827 km Tonga Cable connects Nuku’alofa (the capital on Tongatapu) to Fiji, where it links into global networks ^[39]. This milestone was heralded as “the beginning of a new era” for Tonga, promising faster speeds and more affordable prices for the 100,000 population ^{[40] [41]}. Indeed, in the years after the cable’s arrival, internet uptake surged: by 2021, about 57% of Tongans were online (up from negligible levels pre-cable) ^{[42] [43]}.

Today, Tonga’s internet access is a mix of terrestrial broadband (mostly mobile) and satellite connectivity. The vast majority of users get online via mobile networks (3G/4G cellular data), as fixed-line broadband infrastructure is limited. The country’s two mobile operators, Digicel and TCC, provide coverage to all inhabited islands, reaching 95% of the population with at least 4G service ^[44]. Public WiFi hotspots and ADSL fixed broadband exist on Tongatapu, but mobile data is by far the prevalent mode of access. As of early 2025, roughly 60.8 thousand people (58.5% of the population) were using the internet, a penetration rate on par with global averages for developing states ^[45]. For a small island developing state, Tonga’s digital adoption is quite high, aided by near-universal mobile phone ownership and extensive 2G/3G coverage even in remote villages.

However, the nation’s geography – small, scattered islands over a vast ocean – poses unique challenges for internet access. Outer island communities (which house over 70% of Tongans) often have less reliable connectivity. Until 2018, only Tongatapu was connected by fiber; residents of groups like Vava’u or Ha’apai depended on microwave relays or satellite for backhaul. This changed with a domestic subsea cable extension completed in 2018, which now links those major outer islands to the main fiber network ^[46]. Even so, the most far-flung northern islands (the Niuas) remain beyond the reach of cables and rely on satellite links. Overall, Tonga’s internet landscape is one of significant progress – from virtually no broadband to 4G and fiber connectivity in a decade – yet still constrained by rural disparities and vulnerability (as a single cable cut can sever the country’s digital lifeline).

2. Key Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

Tonga’s telecom market is served by a handful of providers, with two main ISPs dominating:

• Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC): A government-owned operator and Tonga’s oldest telecom, TCC (branded as U-Call for mobile) has about 50% of the internet market share ^[47]. It operates the most extensive cellular network covering all islands, and offers mobile voice/data, fixed wireless broadband, and some ADSL services. In December 2024, TCC launched a commercial 5G network (in partnership with Huawei) in parts of Nuku’alofa ^{[48] [49]}. TCC’s 5G (marketed under “U-Cell 5G”) achieved speeds up to ~850 Mbps in tests ^[50], a huge leap from its 4G network (~50 Mbps). As a semi-state entity, TCC also plays a role in international connectivity – it holds ownership stake in the Tonga Cable system ^[51] and has been involved in government initiatives to improve rural access.
• Digicel Tonga: Part of the Caribbean-based Digicel Group (which operates across the Pacific), Digicel is the other major ISP with around 38% market share ^[52]. Since entering Tonga in 2008, Digicel has aggressively expanded coverage and introduced competitive mobile plans. It provides 2G/3G/4G mobile service nationwide and some fiber-to-the-business connections in Nuku’alofa. Digicel launched its own 5G service in late November 2024, just ahead of TCC ^[53]. Initial 5G coverage spans several districts of the capital, and early speed tests showed 550–600 Mbps downloads on Digicel 5G ^[54]. Digicel’s offerings include prepaid mobile data bundles (e.g. 24 GB/month for $30) and wireless home broadband packs (including a popular “Unlimited” plan for around $200/month) ^[55]. Notably, Digicel is also invested in Tonga’s core infrastructure – it bought a 16.7% stake in Tonga Cable Ltd to help finance the domestic cable extension ^[56], and it partners with international satellite firms (SES, Intelsat) for backup capacity.
• WanTok Tonga (Toko Wireless Ltd): WanTok is a newer, smaller player formed from a 2021 merger of Tonga’s Toko Wireless and a Vanuatu-based partner ^[57]. It offers wireless broadband, VoIP, and an app-based mobile service. WanTok’s market share is still small (~3%) ^[58], but it aims to grow by providing “unlimited” home internet packages and digital payment services at affordable rates. The brand positions itself as a community-oriented ISP with simple plans (hence the name “WanTok”, pidgin for “one talk/friend”). WanTok also is an authorized reseller of Starlink in Tonga ^[59], which could attract customers in areas where its own wireless network is limited.
• Other Providers: Besides the big three, a few niche providers exist. Tonga Cable Limited (TCL) itself (the wholesale operator of the undersea cable) isn’t a retail ISP, but it provides bandwidth to all ISPs and sometimes to large corporate clients. There are also small ISP or ICT companies serving enterprise or government clients (for example, Tongasat historically provided VSAT satellite links for remote sites, and some IT firms resell internet via Wi-Fi hotspots). But effectively, internet access for consumers is delivered via TCC, Digicel, or WanTok.

Despite having multiple providers, Tonga’s market is essentially a duopoly of TCC and Digicel, which regulators note limits competition (Internet Society rates the market competitiveness as “Very Poor”) ^[60]. Both main ISPs tend to offer similar pricing and data caps. However, with the recent introduction of Starlink and the presence of WanTok, there is now hope for more competitive pressure. All three local ISPs (TCC, Digicel, WanTok) have signed on as resellers of Starlink’s satellite broadband service ^[61], effectively integrating this new competitor into their offerings. This unusual arrangement means Tongans can buy Starlink equipment and service directly, or via local ISP bundles – potentially shaking up the market with higher speeds and new pricing models. In summary, TCC and Digicel remain the key players for terrestrial internet, while WanTok and Starlink are emerging as disruptors targeting underserved customers and remote areas.

3. Submarine Cable Connectivity

Undersea fiber-optic cables are the backbone of Tonga’s internet, providing the bulk of international and inter-island bandwidth. The main system in operation is the Tonga Cable, which became ready-for-service in August 2013 ^[62]. This cable runs from Sopu (near Nuku’alofa) to Suva, Fiji, spanning 827 km across the ocean floor ^[63]. In Fiji it connects into the Southern Cross Cable Network (a major trans-Pacific cable), thereby linking Tonga to high-capacity internet routes to Australia, New Zealand, and the United States ^[64]. The Tonga-Fiji cable was a game-changer: it brought an initial 10 Gbps capacity (upgradeable) to a country that previously relied on a few Mbps of satellite bandwidth. Funded by a partnership of the World Bank, ADB, and Tonga’s government at a cost of $32.8 million ^{[65] [66]}, the cable immediately allowed cheaper and faster internet for users. International call and data rates reportedly dropped, and usage boomed (internet traffic jumped as people could stream video and use cloud services for the first time).

To extend these benefits beyond the main island, a Domestic cable extension (TDCE) was commissioned in April 2018 ^[67]. This domestic subsea cable spur connects Tongatapu to the Ha’apai and Vava’u island groups, which lie 150–300 km north. Implemented using leftover funds and a co-investment by Digicel ^[68], the TDCE gave those outer islands a fiber link instead of dependence on satellites. By 2018–2019, Vava’u and Ha’apai residents experienced vastly improved speeds and reliability, similar to Tongatapu’s. In short, by 2019 Tonga had one international cable and one domestic branch, all operated by Tonga Cable Ltd (jointly owned by the government, TCC, and Digicel) ^[69].

Impact: The submarine cables led to rapid growth in internet access. The World Bank noted that since the cable’s introduction, Tonga saw “rapid growth in Internet access and use” and that affordable broadband became available to most Tongans ^{[70] [71]}. The cable-enabled bandwidth also allowed the launch of 4G mobile networks and lower prices per megabyte. By 2015, the cost of broadband in Tonga reportedly fell by more than 50% compared to pre-cable days, while the number of internet users doubled. For example, Tonga’s average international bandwidth per user, which was only a few kilobits in the dial-up era, climbed into the hundreds of kilobits with the cable (and continues to rise).

Challenges: Relying on a single cable (plus its spur) proved to be a single point of failure. Tonga experienced a devastating reminder of this in January 2022, when the eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai undersea volcano triggered a tsunami and cut the Tonga Cable in multiple places ^{[72] [73]}. The eruption essentially “shattered” a 50 km section of the cable ^[74]. As a result, Tonga was virtually cut off from the global internet for days; only minimal connectivity was available via emergency satellite links. It took over a month – until 21 February 2022 – for repair ships to splice in new cable sections and restore international service ^{[75] [76]}. (The domestic extension cable was also severed and remained down even longer, isolating Vava’u for some additional weeks ^{[77] [78]}.) This 2022 outage, following on a 12-day nationwide outage in January 2019 caused by a submarine cable break from a ship’s anchor ^[79], underscored Tonga’s extreme vulnerability. With only one physical connection to the world, any break meant nationwide internet blackout – a digital crisis for businesses, government, and families.

To address this, plans for a second international cable accelerated. In mid-2024, the governments of Australia and New Zealand announced funding for a new “Tonga Hawaiki Branch” cable ^[80]. This 383 km branch will link Tonga (with a landing in Vava’u) to the Hawaiki trans-Pacific cable, which runs between NZ, Hawaii, and the US West Coast ^{[81] [82]}. Importantly, this will be Tonga’s first direct connection to a major global cable system (bypassing Fiji) ^[83]. The project, costing around USD $32 million, is slated for completion by late 2025 ^[84]. Once in place, Tonga will have redundant international routes – if one cable fails, traffic can be switched to the other. It also hugely boosts capacity: Hawaiki is a modern fiber with 30 Tbps design capacity ^[85], far more than Tonga’s current needs, ensuring plenty of room for growth. Officials noted this redundancy will “reduce the risk of outages” and “add sorely needed internet capacity” to Tonga ^[86]. The impetus for this second cable came directly from the 2022 eruption fallout; Australia and NZ first funded immediate repairs and a feasibility study, then moved to implement the new cable as a resilience measure ^{[87] [88]}.

In the interim, Tonga has taken steps to protect its existing cable infrastructure. Tonga Cable Ltd improved monitoring of undersea seismic activity and ship movements (to prevent anchor drags). The cable landing station in Nuku’alofa was built on high ground with equipment on an upper floor, safe from floods or storm surge ^[89]. But no precaution can fully eliminate cuts by nature. Indeed, in June 2024, a moderate earthquake damaged the domestic cable in two locations, causing phone and internet outages in Vava’u and Ha’apai for weeks ^{[90] [91]}. Although a repair ship eventually fixed it, this event (coming just 2 years after the volcano) further highlighted the need for backup systems. By end of 2025, with the new Hawaiki branch online, Tonga should finally have a diverse network – two international cables plus the inter-island links – vastly improving reliability.

Until that second cable comes, Tonga is mitigating risk by using satellite backups (discussed next) whenever the fiber goes down. In summary, submarine cables have been a double-edged sword: they delivered modern internet to Tonga, but their fragility has caused nationwide outages. The future redundancy via Hawaiki Branch is eagerly anticipated as the solution to these connectivity headaches ^{[92] [93]}.

4. Satellite Internet Services

Given Tonga’s remote location and dispersed islands, satellite communication has always been a key component of its internet connectivity – especially for areas beyond the reach of cables or when cables fail. Both geostationary satellites (GEO) and newer low-Earth orbit satellites (LEO) play roles in Tonga’s connectivity landscape.

Historical GEO Satellite Use: Before the fiber-optic era, Tonga relied entirely on satellite links for international internet and phone. Bandwidth was leased from operators like Intelsat, and internet speeds were very limited. Even after the fiber cable arrived, satellites remained important as a backup and for connecting outlying islands. In 2019, after a cable break caused a nationwide outage, the Tongan government struck a deal with Kacific – a satellite broadband provider focusing on the Pacific – to provide emergency bandwidth and connectivity to 89 remote outer islands ^[94]. Tonga agreed to a 15-year contract with Kacific’s new Kacific-1 high-throughput satellite for backup capacity and rural internet services ^[95]. However, a dispute arose when Tonga allegedly did not pay portions of the contract; Kacific sought USD $5.7 million in arbitration, and the government even tried to dissolve its special-purpose company (Tonga Satellite Ltd) to avoid liability ^{[96] [97]}. This led to a protracted legal battle from 2020–2023. During that time, Kacific’s service to Tonga was essentially on hold (the government banned its use due to the litigation). In a positive turn, by May 2023 the Tonga government and Kacific reached a confidential settlement and ended the dispute ^{[98] [99]}. Both parties expressed “excitement about working together” going forward ^[100]. This resolution presumably clears the way for Kacific to officially provide satellite internet in Tonga again – delivering up to 1 Gbps of capacity via its Ka-band spot beams. In fact, right after the January 2022 volcanic eruption, Tonga temporarily lifted the ban to let Kacific supply a 1 Gbps emergency link to restore connectivity while the cable was down ^{[101] [102]}. Kacific’s CEO noted it was a “breakthrough” when regulators allowed them in during the crisis, as previously their signals had been blocked due to arbitration ^[103]. That bandwidth (shared among local telcos) proved vital to keep critical services online in early 2022 ^{[104] [105]}. Now that relations are mended, Kacific can be a regular part of Tonga’s telecom ecosystem – likely serving as an always-on backup for ISPs and delivering internet to small islands without fiber.

Apart from Kacific, traditional GEO satellites from providers like Intelsat and SES/O3b are also used. Intelsat has C-band and Ku-band coverage over Tonga (Telstra and Spark helped provide Intelsat capacity to Tonga after the 2022 eruption) ^{[106] [107]}. SES’s O3b satellite network is notable: O3b (now called SES mPOWER for the next-gen system) uses medium Earth orbit satellites that offer fiber-like low latency. Digicel Pacific has a partnership with SES to utilize O3b mPOWER for disaster recovery in Tonga and other islands ^[108]. In the June 2024 domestic cable outage, Digicel was able to restore inter-island data and voice service to Vava’u within six hours using an SES satellite link ^{[109] [110]}. This quick response was thanks to an expanded agreement that ensures standby satellite capacity is available on short notice. Digicel’s Pacific regional CEO explained that with SES’s high-throughput satellites, Tonga will “have the ability to access a large amount of low-latency, high-throughput [bandwidth] in the event of a disaster” ^[111]. In practice, this means if the undersea cable breaks, O3b’s MEO satellites can feed the mobile networks so that at least moderate-speed internet and 4G service stays up. While GEO satellites have high latency (~600-700 ms ping) which hampers real-time apps, the O3b MEO service has ~150 ms latency, much better for maintaining telecom services. So Tonga’s ISPs now maintain satellite redundancy plans: for instance, both TCC and Digicel reportedly activated backup satellite links to keep basic internet alive during the 2024 outage (albeit at much reduced speeds) ^[112].

Starlink’s Entry (LEO Satellites): The biggest recent development in Tonga’s internet scene is SpaceX’s Starlink. Starlink operates a constellation of thousands of LEO satellites delivering broadband with low latency (~20-50 ms) and high throughput (50–200+ Mbps per user). For a remote island nation, Starlink can be a game-changer by bypassing the need for local infrastructure – users just need a satellite dish (“Dishy”) and a clear sky view. In early 2022, Elon Musk offered to send Starlink terminals to help Tonga after the volcano eruption ^[113]. A few demo units were deployed, but at that time Starlink didn’t have operating permission in Tonga. Fast forward to mid-2024: frustrated by a two-week internet blackout after the June cable break, Tongans (especially in affected outer islands) began illegally using Starlink via roaming subscriptions from other countries ^[114]. People literally carried Starlink kits into Tonga and started connecting on the sly as a lifeline. The government initially cracked down – on July 9, 2024 the Prime Minister ordered Starlink to cease operations until licensed ^[115]. However, a public petition and outcry ensued, urging the government to allow Starlink access ^[116]. Responding to the “significant public concern,” the Ministry (MEIDECC) quickly reversed course and on July 19, 2024 granted Starlink a provisional 6-month permit to operate ^{[117] [118]}. This temporary license came with conditions: Starlink had to comply with local regulations, register its terminals, enable local billing (so users could pay in Tongan currency), and meet any tax obligations ^[119]. Essentially, the government wanted to ensure Starlink service would be accountable in Tonga rather than a gray-market free-for-all.

After a successful trial period, Tonga moved to fully approve Starlink in December 2024. By Jan 2025, Starlink had official operational clearance to provide high-speed internet across Tonga ^[120]. The government touted this as a “pivotal step” to connect even the most remote islands with reliable broadband ^{[121] [122]}. Under the licensing, Starlink can sell directly to consumers in Tonga and also through authorized resellers like TCC, Digicel, and WanTok ^[123]. The local ISPs actually seem to have embraced Starlink rather than resisted – perhaps recognizing it can complement their offerings (for example, an ISP might bundle Starlink for a village outside their mobile coverage). By early 2025, Starlink service was ramping up; it reportedly already accounted for roughly 8% of internet use in Tonga ^[124]. Users have reported “decent speeds and stable connections” from Starlink in Tonga ^[125] – typically tens of Mbps in download, which for outer islands is revolutionary. Starlink’s standard package costs around USD $110 per month (plus a one-time ~$600 for the dish), though local pricing and reseller bundles may vary. This is expensive in local terms, but for remote schools, businesses, or households that never had a fast connection, the value is significant. The low latency also enables clear VoIP calls and video conferencing, overcoming the lag issues of GEO satellites.

In summary, satellite internet has transitioned from a last-resort backup to a mainstream option in Tonga. GEO satellites (Kacific, Intelsat) provide safety nets and connectivity to islands beyond the fiber footprint, while Starlink’s LEO network offers a new alternative for high-performance internet independent of terrestrial infrastructure. The government’s initial cautious approach has shifted to a view that satellite services like Starlink are critical to “bridging the connectivity gap for rural and remote communities” ^[126]. Going forward, one can expect Tonga to use a hybrid approach: fiber-optic cables as the primary backbone where available, with satellites (especially LEO) ensuring that even the smallest islands or disaster-hit areas stay connected.

5. Internet Penetration and Usage Statistics

Tonga’s internet usage has risen steadily and now a majority of Tongans are online in some capacity. According to 2023/24 data, about 58–59% of the population uses the internet (defined as using it at least once in a recent 3-month period) ^{[127] [128]}. This is roughly on par with the Oceania regional average (which is ~78% when including Australia/NZ, but among Pacific Island peers Tonga is quite high) ^[129]. In absolute numbers, there were an estimated 60.8 thousand internet users in Tonga at the start of 2025 ^[130]. This is up from ~45k users a decade ago and reflects strong growth fueled by mobile broadband availability. The user base includes people accessing via smartphones, computers at work/school, and community internet facilities.

Urban–Rural Divide: Tonga does have an urban-rural gap in connectivity, though it’s narrower than one might expect for an island nation. About 23% of the population lives in urban areas (primarily the capital Nuku’alofa) ^[131]. In these areas, internet penetration is higher – around 63% of urban residents were internet users as of 2021 ^{[132] [133]}. In rural areas (outer islands and villages), the penetration rate is somewhat lower (official data wasn’t reported, but likely in the 50% range). Many rural Tongans use mobile phones for basic communication but may not be regular internet users due to costs or limited local content. Still, with 2G/3G signals reaching virtually all villages, even rural Tongans increasingly go online for Facebook, messaging, and reading news. Efforts like community Wi-Fi hubs and church internet centers have also introduced internet to remote areas. As infrastructure improves (e.g. the fiber extension to Vava’u/Ha’apai and now Starlink), the rural internet uptake is expected to climb, closing the gap with Nuku’alofa.

Mobile vs Fixed and Device Use: The vast majority of internet connections in Tonga are via mobile broadband. Recent GSMA Intelligence data show 89% mobile subscription penetration (SIM cards per population) ^[134], and about 84.6% of those mobile connections are 3G/4G/5G capable ^[135]. Essentially, almost every Tongan adult has a mobile phone, and most have at least a 3G-enabled device. Smartphones (Android devices in particular) are common, though the cost of high-end phones is an issue – a survey noted smartphone prices remain relatively high relative to income, affecting ownership among low-income groups ^[136]. Still, Facebook usage is huge in Tonga, indicating widespread smartphone or internet-enabled phone use. In January 2025, there were 66.6 thousand social media users in Tonga (64% of the population) ^[137], predominantly on Facebook. This suggests many Tongans who might not count as regular “internet users” still use social apps occasionally. It’s also common for families to share a smartphone for internet access at home.

Fixed broadband (e.g. DSL or fiber to home) is minimal – only a few thousand subscriptions, mainly businesses and government offices. Instead, many homes use fixed-wireless or mobile routers (e.g. Digicel offers a home Wi-Fi router that runs on 4G/5G with an “unlimited” plan ^[138]). These wireless home connections have become popular for households that can afford ~$100–$200 per month for robust internet.

Bandwidth and Quality: Tonga’s average internet speeds historically lag behind global averages. As of 2024, the average download speed for users was reported around 3.5 Mbps downstream ^[139]. This low figure is partly because many were on 3G or congested networks. However, those in Nuku’alofa on 4G or fiber often got 5–10 Mbps or more ^[140], and now with 5G some can get 50–100+ Mbps. In fact, Tonga’s average speeds should rise significantly with 5G rollout and Starlink availability. For example, speed tests on TCC’s 5G showed 850 Mbps download on a local server ^[141] (though that’s an ideal scenario; typical user speeds will be lower and limited by data caps). By comparison, the older Ookla Speedtest data gave Tonga a fixed broadband average of only ~0.3 Mbps in some reports ^[142] – likely an anomaly or outdated stat. Real-world experiences vary widely: in the capital, streaming YouTube or Zoom calls is feasible, while on a remote island one might struggle to load images over 2G. The coming addition of the second international cable and more backhaul capacity should improve average speeds across the board, as the current 3.5 Mbps average is largely due to tight bandwidth constraints on the single cable ^[143].

Affordability: Tonga has made strides in making internet access more affordable, though it’s still not cheap by global standards. According to the Internet Society, a “low-consumption” mobile internet package (1.5 GB monthly over 3G) costs about 2.09% of gross national income (GNI) per capita ^[144]. This meets the UN Broadband Commission’s affordability target of <2% of income for entry-level broadband. In practical terms, $5 USD can buy a small data bundle (a few GB) which is a couple percent of an average Tongan’s monthly income. For higher usage, costs climb: for instance, 70 GB of data via a 5G wireless plan costs about $70 (which would be ~30% of a local median monthly income). Unlimited plans at $200 are out of reach for most except businesses. Nevertheless, prices have been dropping. Competition between Digicel and TCC led to promotions like “Happy Hour” free data nights and social media passes. The government’s enforcement of wholesale price regulation on the Tonga Cable also helped reduce retail internet prices by ensuring ISPs could buy bandwidth cheaply ^{[145] [146]}. As a result, the cost for 1 GB of mobile data in Tonga is now roughly USD $3–4 on prepaid (down from over $10 a few years ago). The introduction of Starlink may also influence affordability; while Starlink itself isn’t cheap, it could push local ISPs to offer better value or niche plans (e.g. unlimited nighttime data or family plans) to retain customers.

Usage Patterns: Tongans primarily use the internet for social networking (Facebook, WhatsApp), communication (email, VoIP, Messenger), and entertainment (YouTube, TikTok). Facebook is essentially the public forum for news and community announcements in Tonga, and anecdotally, Tonga has one of the highest Facebook penetration rates per capita. Internet banking and e-commerce are still nascent, though improving with digital payment services like WanTok Money and mobile money transfers between islands ^{[147] [148]}. Government services are gradually going online (e.g. some e-government portals exist, but uptake is slow due to digital literacy and trust issues). During the COVID-19 pandemic, internet usage spiked as Tongans abroad had to stay connected with family via video calls, and local schools experimented with online learning during lockdowns. One challenge is that international bandwidth per user is limited – that 3.5 Mbps average download speed also reflects that the national bandwidth pool is relatively small for 100k people (in 2024, total international capacity was reportedly under 10 Gbps). Many users notice the internet is much slower in the evening when everyone is online, an indicator of limited backhaul. This should ease once the new cable and Starlink add capacity.

In conclusion, Tonga’s internet penetration is respectable and growing, essentially in tandem with mobile phone adoption. With more infrastructure coming and costs gradually decreasing, the remaining 40% of the population that’s offline – largely older folks or those in remote locales – could come online. The government’s goal (as part of its Digital Strategy) is reportedly to reach ~80% internet usage in the next few years, ensure all schools have internet, and improve digital skills so that Tongans can fully leverage the connectivity for economic and social benefits.

6. Major Challenges

Despite notable progress, Tonga faces significant challenges in achieving robust, all-inclusive internet access. These challenges are rooted in the country’s geography, its reliance on fragile infrastructure, and economic constraints:

• Geographic Isolation and Island Dispersal: Tonga’s small population is spread across dozens of islands, many separated by hundreds of kilometers of ocean. This makes it technically and financially hard to extend terrestrial infrastructure (fiber or microwave links) to every community. Laying subsea fiber to tiny islands or building line-of-sight radio links over long distances is often not feasible given the cost and low user base. As a result, some islands (like Niuafoʻou and Niuatoputapu in the far north) still have no high-capacity link and rely on basic satellite connectivity. This creates a digital divide where outer island residents have slower, less reliable internet compared to Tongatapu. Even within a large island like Tongatapu, rural villages might be far from the nearest 4G tower, leading to weak signals or coverage gaps. The scattered nature of Tonga will always pose a challenge for 100% coverage – solutions likely need to involve satellites or innovative community networks to reach the most remote hamlets.
• Single Points of Failure & Outages: As discussed, Tonga’s internet has been uniquely vulnerable to total shutdowns because it historically depended on one international cable and one domestic cable extension. Natural disasters have exposed these weak points. The 2019 outage (when a ship’s anchor accidentally cut the cable) left the entire nation offline for nearly two weeks ^[149]. In that period, businesses ground to a halt (ATMs, EFTPOS machines, and many government services rely on connectivity), and people were literally queued at the lone Internet café that had a working satellite phone link. The 2022 volcanic eruption was even more catastrophic – not only did it physically sever connectivity, but the eruption’s ash and tsunami knocked out power and terrestrial networks too. Tonga was effectively “dark” to the world; even news of the disaster was delayed due to lack of communication. This incident highlighted that undersea cables running near volcanically active zones are extremely risky. And then, the June 2024 earthquake causing the domestic cable break showed that even inter-island links are not secure ^[150]. Vava’u and Ha’apai – two populous island groups – were cut off for over three weeks in mid-2024 ^[151], impacting their tourism and businesses. Each of these outages underscores a challenge: network resiliency. Until redundancy is in place, Tonga will remain one errant anchor or one seismic event away from major connectivity loss. Moreover, local networks (the cellular towers and exchanges) are also exposed to cyclones, floods, and power outages, which occur frequently in the Pacific. Cyclone damage can topple towers or cut power for days, meaning even if international links hold, local access can be disrupted.
• Limited Bandwidth and Network Congestion: Tonga’s international bandwidth has been limited by the capacity of a single cable and the cost of satellite backup. This has meant that at peak times, users experience slow speeds and congestion. For example, when everyone comes online in the evenings, the network often bogs down (this is a common complaint in Tonga). The average per-user bandwidth (international) in Tonga remains low – around 9 kilobits per second per user as of a few years ago ^[152] (for comparison, in developed countries it’s hundreds of kbit/s per user). This limitation is both a cause and a consequence of challenges: adding more bandwidth is expensive, but without more bandwidth, usage can’t grow smoothly. It’s a bit of a bottleneck that Tonga has been trapped in. The new Hawaiki branch cable should relieve this by flooding the country with cheap capacity, but until then, careful rationing of bandwidth (via data caps and throttling) is the norm. From a user perspective, tight data caps (e.g. 2 GB daily limit on some plans) and relatively high overage fees are an annoyance that stems from bandwidth scarcity.
• Affordability and Economic Constraints: While Tonga has improved on affordability benchmarks, the cost of internet is still significant for many citizens. A substantial portion of the population relies on subsistence livelihoods or remittances, and might prioritize basic needs over internet data. The challenge is ensuring internet is not just available but affordable to the lower-income and rural families. Currently, a 1 GB mobile data pack might cost about TOP $10 (approx USD $4–5), which is manageable for occasional use, but a high-school student or farmer who wants to do online research or streaming would need much more data, quickly incurring costs. One statistic indicated that the price of 5 GB of mobile data in Tonga could equate to over 6% of an average monthly income (a few years back) – above the affordability target ^[153]. The government and ISPs face the challenge of driving prices lower and offering budget options (like smaller, more affordable data bundles) without running their networks at a loss. The small market size and lack of economies of scale mean costs will never be as low as larger countries unless subsidized.
• Technical Capacity and Maintenance: Operating advanced telecom infrastructure in a small developing country comes with human capital challenges. Tonga has a limited pool of telecom engineers and IT specialists. When the cable breaks or a network issue arises, Tonga often has to fly in experts or rely on partners in Fiji/Australia. Maintenance of satellite gateways, cable landing stations, etc., requires expertise and spare parts that aren’t always on-island. The country’s technical capacity is improving (Tonga Cable Ltd and the telcos have trained staff, and there’s regional cooperation for training), but keeping up with fast-evolving technologies (like 5G or cybersecurity for networks) is an ongoing challenge. Brain drain is also a factor – skilled Tongan IT professionals often migrate to New Zealand or Australia for higher salaries, leaving a gap in local capacity. The new cable project explicitly includes an element of increasing local knowledge in cable maintenance ^[154], which indicates recognition of this issue.
• Regulatory and Environmental Challenges: On the regulatory side, Tonga had to adapt to new players like Starlink that don’t fit traditional telecom models. Crafting licensing and rules for LEO satellite services, and integrating them without hurting the incumbents (or tax revenues), is a new challenge most countries haven’t faced until now. The government had to ensure Starlink complies with things like local content regulations, lawful intercept for security, etc., which is non-trivial for a global satellite service. Environmental challenges include the realities of climate change – rising sea levels and more intense cyclones threaten coastal infrastructure (though the main cable station was built to withstand extreme weather ^[155]). Additionally, Tonga sits in the “Ring of Fire” seismic zone and in a tropical cyclone belt, so ongoing exposure to natural disasters is a permanent challenge.

Security and Misuse: A tangential challenge worth noting is cybersecurity and misuse of the internet. As Tonga’s internet usage grows, issues like online scams, hacking of government systems, and spread of misinformation on social media have appeared. Tonga scored only ~21 out of 100 on the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index ^[156], indicating a need to strengthen cyber readiness. The small market size also means Tonga can be overlooked in terms of getting security updates or attention from big tech companies (for example, Tonga’s country-code domain .to has sometimes been abused by spammers because of lax controls). These are challenges the government is now trying to tackle via new cyber laws and digital literacy programs, but resource constraints make it tough.

In summary, Tonga’s main internet challenges revolve around resilience, coverage, and cost. Redundancy through a second cable and satellite integration will tackle the resilience issue. Coverage to remote islands will lean on satellite tech (Starlink, etc.) because laying more cables to tiny islands isn’t viable. Cost and capacity constraints should improve with donor support (as more bandwidth becomes available, it should drive prices down). However, being a small, isolated nation, Tonga will always face higher relative costs and must remain proactive in safeguarding its connectivity against the whims of nature.

7. Government Policies and Investments

The Tongan government has been a central actor in developing the nation’s internet infrastructure, often in partnership with international donors and the private sector. The government’s policies have aimed to expand access, ensure fair competition, and improve resilience, although execution has faced some hurdles.

Infrastructure Investment and Partnerships: Recognizing that modern communications are a lifeline, the government has actively sought funding and partnerships to build critical infrastructure. The Pacific Regional Connectivity Project (2011–2018) was a government-driven initiative that secured World Bank and ADB financing to lay the Tonga-Fiji submarine cable ^[157]. The government created Tonga Cable Limited (TCL) to own and operate the cable; TCL is a public enterprise in which the government initially held majority ownership (later selling a minority stake to Digicel for the domestic extension) ^[158]. By involving a private operator (Digicel) and IFIs (international financial institutions), the government spread the cost and risk of the project, an approach that proved successful. Similarly, after the 2022 eruption, the government worked with Australia and New Zealand to fund the upcoming second cable – a reflection of policy to improve redundancy via aid and regional cooperation ^{[159] [160]}. Tonga’s Prime Minister and Cabinet actively lobbied for this support, highlighting how critical communications are for disaster response.

Regulatory Framework and Liberalization: Telecommunications in Tonga were liberalized in the early 2000s. The government moved from a monopoly (the state-owned TCC) to allowing competition – Digicel entered in 2008 after the legal monopoly ended. To oversee the sector, Tonga established an independent regulator, initially the Tonga Communications Commission (TCCOM), now under the Ministry (MEIDECC). The World Bank project supported setting up an independent regulator and adopting policies like Open Access to the cable capacity ^{[161] [162]}. Open access means TCL must provide wholesale bandwidth to any licensed ISP on equal terms, preventing a monopoly chokehold on international capacity. This policy helped newcomers like Digicel and WanTok access bandwidth without discrimination. The regulator also enforces price caps on wholesale bandwidth – for example, it set target prices per Mbps that declined over time as the cable usage grew. The result was a drop in retail internet prices and higher usage, as intended.

The government has also issued licenses to new entrants (WanTok got a license in 2021) and facilitated infrastructure sharing (like allowing Digicel and TCC to co-site towers or share the cost of international links). However, the Internet Society’s assessment that ISP choice is “very poor” ^{[163] [164]} suggests that in practice, competition is limited. The government hasn’t attracted multiple international operators – Digicel and TCC remain a duopoly. There have been rumors occasionally of other Pacific telecoms or an ISP cooperative entering, but none have materialized. So while the regulatory environment is nominally open, the small market size is a barrier to more players.

Universal Access and Rural Connectivity: A notable government policy was to improve rural and outer island connectivity, often via subsidies or public-private arrangements. For instance, the government’s since-resolved agreement with Kacific was part of a plan to connect “89 remote outer islands” with broadband and serve as fiber backup ^[165]. They effectively contracted satellite capacity as a quasi-universal service. When that deal soured (due to payment issues), it highlighted the importance of proper funding mechanisms for universal service obligations (USO). It’s unclear if Tonga has a formal USO fund (some countries levy a fee on operators for rural projects), but Tonga’s approach has been to directly partner with a satellite provider to cover remote areas. Even after the Kacific dispute, Tonga did allow Kacific and others to step in during disasters (e.g., free emergency bandwidth from Optus, Telstra, SES was facilitated by the government in 2022) ^{[166] [167]}. This indicates a policy stance that in emergencies, all available resources should be utilized, even if normal commercial terms are in dispute.

Additionally, the government has promoted ICT in education and e-health. There have been projects to connect all high schools to the internet, often via satellite or wireless if fiber isn’t available. The Ministry of Education in collaboration with MEIDECC has distributed computer labs and attempted to use e-learning (though bandwidth issues hampered some efforts). Government health centers on outer islands have been given satellite links to communicate with main hospitals. These are policy-driven initiatives recognizing the development gains from connectivity.

Starlink and Modern Policy Adaptation: The government’s handling of Starlink in 2024 showcased a balancing act between enforcement and innovation. Initially, when Starlink use popped up without permission, the government flexed its regulatory muscle to assert sovereignty – ordering Starlink to cease operations until properly licensed ^[168]. This was in line with telecom laws requiring any operator to have a license and pay relevant fees/taxes. However, the speed with which the government then granted a temporary permit (just 10 days after shutting it down) ^{[169] [170]} shows a responsiveness to public demand and a pragmatic approach. By December 2024, MEIDECC granted Starlink a full license with conditions that satisfied local interests (e.g., requiring local gateways or at least registering of terminals, and ensuring local companies could resell) ^{[171] [172]}. This indicates a policy of encouraging new technology but under a regulatory framework that benefits Tonga. The government essentially negotiated: Starlink can operate freely, but must allow Tongans to buy locally and not undermine regulatory oversight. In doing so, they avoided a prolonged standoff and instead harnessed Starlink to improve access. This move was celebrated as bridging the digital divide and fits with the government’s broader Digital Transformation strategy – a plan which includes improving infrastructure, building e-government services, and digital upskilling.

E-Government and Cybersecurity: The Tongan government has also been working on policies to utilize the internet for governance and to secure the online environment. Tonga has an e-government initiative, and as of 2022 its e-government development index score was 0.486 (out of 1) ^[173], reflecting some progress but still middling. Services like online business registration, tax filings, and passport applications are in development. The policy direction is to eventually have more government services accessible online, which also serves as a driver for wider internet adoption. In tandem, Tonga is developing cybersecurity frameworks – it adopted a National Cybersecurity Strategy around 2021 and participates in regional cyber training. MEIDECC’s Department of Cyber Emergency Response monitors threats. Still, Tonga’s cybersecurity preparedness score (20.95/100) shows the need for improvement ^[174]. The government likely will update laws (like a cybercrimes bill, data protection law, etc.) as part of its digital policy roadmap.

Financial and Policy Support: It’s worth noting the government has been leveraging external financial mechanisms. For example, Tonga benefits from the Asian Development Bank’s regional ICT fund and the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP), which is co-financing the second cable ^{[175] [176]}. They also have engaged with organizations like the ITU for technical assistance. The policy stance is clearly to embrace donor grants and concessional loans to build ICT infrastructure that might otherwise be unaffordable.

One hiccup in policy was the aforementioned Tonga Satellite Ltd saga: the government created a special company to enter the Kacific contract and then tried to dissolve it to evade the contract when a dispute arose ^{[177] [178]}. This was viewed negatively as it undermined trust with investors. The Supreme Court ordered that company restored so Kacific could pursue claims ^[179]. Eventually, settling with Kacific in 2023 repaired some of the reputational damage ^[180]. This episode likely taught the government a lesson in honoring contracts and the importance of negotiating sustainable deals upfront.

In conclusion, the Tongan government has generally been proactive and visionary in pushing internet connectivity – from the first submarine cable to embracing Starlink. Policies focus on access, affordability, and security of internet services. There is a clear recognition at the highest levels (Prime Minister, Cabinet) that digital connectivity is vital for Tonga’s economic and social development, as well as its resilience to disasters. Future policies will likely continue this trajectory: investing in infrastructure (maybe a third cable someday or more domestic fiber), fostering competition (perhaps encouraging more satellite or other entrants), and using the internet to improve public services and inclusion.

8. Recent Developments

In the past 1–2 years, Tonga’s internet sector has seen major developments that promise to reshape connectivity. Here are some of the key recent happenings:

• 5G Networks Rolled Out (2024–2025): Both of Tonga’s mobile operators deployed 5G wireless technology in late 2024, marking a leap into next-generation broadband. Digicel Tonga switched on its first 5G sites on November 29, 2024, followed a week later by TCC’s 5G launch under the “U-Call” brand ^[181]. Initially, coverage is limited to parts of Nuku’alofa (e.g. Kolomotu’a, Fanga, Kolofo’ou districts for Digicel) ^[182]. However, even this partial launch means roughly one-third of Tongans can now access mobile internet speeds in the hundreds of Mbps range ^{[183] [184]}. By mid-2025, Digicel had upgraded 15 sites in the capital and achieved about 30% population coverage with 5G ^[185]. TCC similarly expanded its 5G footprint. To capitalize on 5G, the telcos introduced new data plans – Digicel’s range from $5/day for 3.5 GB up to monthly bundles like 24 GB for $30, and even a truly unlimited plan (~$200/month) for heavy users ^[186]. One challenge is device availability: as of early 2025, not many Tongans have 5G-capable phones. Digicel’s CEO noted they are working to bring in affordable 5G handsets (their cheapest 5G Android phone sells for about $200) ^{[187] [188]}. Nonetheless, early adopters and businesses are already enjoying vastly improved performance on 5G. The 5G rollout positions Tonga as one of the few Pacific Island nations with commercial 5G, potentially attracting tech investments or better ICT services. It’s a remarkable development considering just a decade ago Tonga had only 2G mobile service – now it’s on the cutting edge of wireless tech.
• Starlink Approved and Operational (2024–2025): After the flurry of regulatory moves in mid-2024, the Tongan government in December 2024 gave full approval for Starlink’s satellite internet services ^[189]. As a result, 2025 is the year Starlink really takes off in Tonga. Already there have been Starlink pilot tests with promising results (users reporting >50 Mbps speeds in remote islands) ^[190]. The government lauded Starlink’s entry as potentially “revolutionising internet access across the archipelago” by providing reliable connectivity to even the most isolated islands ^[191]. Local telecom companies have seized this opportunity: Digicel, TCC, and WanTok are authorised Starlink resellers ^[192] and have begun bundling Starlink for customers who need beyond the reach of their networks. For instance, a resort on an outer island could buy a Starlink kit via Digicel and pay in Tongan Pa’anga, with local support provided. This reseller model is a win-win – Starlink extends its market, and local ISPs still retain a relationship with customers. In January 2025, the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council reported that Starlink terminals were already in pilot use with “significant improvements in speed and reliability” noted by users ^[193]. By mid-2025, Starlink’s coverage of Tonga is complete (its satellites have full global coverage now) and hundreds of Tongans have subscribed – from government departments ensuring backup comms, to businesses like banks wanting redundancy, to regular folks in islands like ‘Eua or Nomuka where internet was poor. The public reception is extremely positive; Starlink is seen as a game-changer especially after the trauma of past outages. Culturally, it’s also a talking point that “Elon Musk’s Starlink” is now part of Tonga’s tech scene – a sign the kingdom is not left behind technologically.
• Second International Cable Project Launched (2024): On June 22, 2024, Tonga’s Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku, along with Australian and New Zealand envoys, announced the Tonga-Hawaiki cable branch project ^[194]. This was big news – a USD $32 million investment to add a redundant undersea cable spur from Tonga to the trans-Pacific Hawaiki cable ^[195]. In late 2024 and into 2025, work has progressed: surveys of the seabed route were completed to determine the safest path avoiding undersea volcanoes etc. ^{[196] [197]}. The contract for the cable build was awarded to BW Digital (which owns the Hawaiki system) in partnership with Tonga Cable Ltd ^[198]. Manufacturing of the cable and branching unit is underway, and the target is to have the cable operational by December 2025 ^[199]. This development was partly in response to the January 2022 eruption (Australia/NZ realized the need to help Pacific neighbors with infrastructure resilience) ^[200]. Once completed, this will be among the most important upgrades to Tonga’s internet in recent memory – effectively doubling international capacity and providing a safety net. As a side note, in September 2025 Australia launched a new “Pacific Subsea Cable Resilience” center ^[201], presumably to coordinate such projects and maybe fund more backup systems; Tonga’s experience has been a case study driving such initiatives.
• Kacific Dispute Resolved (2023) and Renewed Cooperation: In mid-2023, the long-running legal dispute between the Tongan government and Kacific Broadband Satellites was amicably settled ^[202]. While details are confidential, both parties expressed satisfaction and a forward-looking partnership ^{[203] [204]}. This paved the way for Kacific to resume its role in Tonga’s connectivity. Indeed, after the settlement, Kacific’s satellite has been delivering up to 1 Gbps of bandwidth into Tonga (the capacity that was contracted) ^{[205] [206]}. In practical terms, this means government offices and perhaps some outer-island telecenters have a steady high-speed link via Kacific-1. It also means Tonga now has multiplicity in satellite providers – it can use Kacific (GEO), SES O3b (MEO), and Starlink (LEO) as needed. The settlement likely involved Tonga paying a portion of the disputed amount and renegotiating terms that it can afford. For Kacific, re-entering Tonga is strategically important as Tonga was one of the first Pacific nations to sign on. With fences mended, one recent development is that Kacific offered to assist in setting up community Wi-Fi hubs in some islands as part of its service, which Tonga is considering as a way to extend connectivity at a grassroots level (this was mentioned in some regional telecom forums in 2023). So, the sour episode is behind, and it’s back to constructive collaboration.
• Digicel Pacific Ownership Changes and Regional Integration: Though not specific to Tonga alone, Digicel Pacific (which includes Digicel Tonga) was acquired by a consortium led by the Australian telecom Telstra in 2022 (with Australian government funding support). By 2023–2024, this transition was completed. For Tonga, this means that Digicel Tonga is now under Telstra’s umbrella, albeit still branded Digicel. This development could bring more resources and stability to Digicel’s operations. Telstra has indicated it will invest in network improvements across the Pacific. Already we see Digicel Tonga partnering with SES for a resilient network solution (likely facilitated by Telstra’s involvement and funding) ^{[207] [208]}. It also might lead to better integration of regional services (for example, Digicel/Telstra could bring in southern hemisphere content caches or better peering for Tonga’s traffic, improving speeds). It’s a behind-the-scenes development, but worth noting.
• Digital Government and Services: In 2025, Tonga is expected to launch a new e-government portal consolidating many services. Recent developments in late 2024 included digitizing the passport and visa application process and piloting an online business registry. These efforts are part of Tonga’s Digital Economic Development Strategy, supported by the World Bank’s Digital Government program. So while not an infrastructure development, it’s a service development: more government services online mean more demand for internet and also more reliance on stable connectivity. By moving services online (e.g., paying taxes or applying for licenses via a website), the government is implicitly investing in the digital ecosystem and signaling that internet access is becoming essential for civic life.
• Local Content and Community Networks: Another subtle development is the growth of local online content. In 2024, a locally hosted news site (likely Matangi Tonga or Tonga Wire) started offering more video content and live streams, which drive local bandwidth usage. Also, a youth-led initiative set up a Tonga STEM online learning platform in 2024 (with support from a UNDP program), giving students in outer islands access to educational materials. These may be small-scale, but they represent a growing digital participation in Tonga. The government has been supportive, often highlighting such projects in speeches as examples of why nationwide internet is important.

Overall, the recent developments paint an optimistic picture: Tonga is addressing its weaknesses (with new cables and satellite options), adopting cutting-edge tech (5G, Starlink), and integrating more into the digital world (e-government, etc.). The next couple of years (2025–2026) are poised to see the fruition of these developments – if all goes well, Tonga’s internet by 2026 will be faster, more reliable, and more widely accessible than ever before.

9. Future Prospects and Recommendations

Looking ahead, Tonga’s internet landscape has promising enhancements on the horizon, but also calls for strategic action to ensure sustainability and inclusive growth. Here are the prospects and some recommendations for the future:

Redundancy & Resilience Become Reality: By late 2025, the completion of the second international cable (Tonga-Hawaiki branch) will mark a new era of resilience. For the first time, Tonga will not be solely dependent on a single fiber link ^{[209] [210]}. This redundant route, combined with available satellite backups, should drastically reduce the chance of nationwide outages. In the future, if one cable is cut by an earthquake or volcano, internet traffic can be rerouted via the other cable (or via satellite in the interim). The recommendation here is that Tonga should develop robust failover plans and regularly test them. For instance, running drills where traffic is switched to the backup cable or satellites can ensure readiness. Additionally, exploring a third redundancy wouldn’t hurt – e.g., maintaining agreements for emergency bandwidth from neighboring countries’ satellite ground stations or even considering a small third cable spur to another neighbor (like Samoa or Fiji’s second cable) for extra insurance. Given the Pacific’s volatile geology, “two is one, and one is none” might apply – so having multiple fail-safes is wise.

Expanded Coverage to All Islands: With Starlink operational and Kacific back in play, every inhabited island in Tonga can realistically be connected with broadband in the coming years. The government should capitalize on this by facilitating installation of shared Starlink or Kacific terminals in the most remote villages (perhaps community centers or schools). One prospect is to establish community Wi-Fi hotspots fed by a Starlink connection – that way, multiple people can use one satellite subscription. This model has been used in other remote areas globally and could work in, say, the Niuas or smaller isles of Ha’apai. It’s recommended that the government or donors subsidize the upfront cost of terminals for communities that can’t afford them, under a universal service program. By doing so, Tonga could achieve near 100% geographic coverage, ensuring even the farthest island has at least a basic internet kiosk or LTE small cell (some islands could even get 4G coverage by backhauling a cell tower over Starlink). The technology and regulatory approval are aligning for this, so the onus is on implementation and funding support.

Affordability and Inclusive Access: In the future, as capacity constraints ease (with the new cable’s abundant bandwidth), there is an opportunity – and indeed a need – to lower internet service prices or raise data caps to make internet truly affordable for all Tongans. The government and regulator should keep pressing for price reductions in retail broadband. One recommendation is to introduce a social tariff or subsidized package for low-income households – e.g., a basic 1 or 2 Mbps unlimited plan at very low cost, sufficient for essential services like education, email, and government sites. Another angle is focusing on schools: ensuring every school has free or very cheap internet access, which can then be shared with students and their families for learning purposes. Given Tonga’s heavy reliance on remittances, another idea is to partner with money transfer services to allow diaspora (Tongans abroad) to pre-purchase data or pay internet bills for their relatives back home as a form of remittance. This can inject external money to fund internet access domestically.

With Starlink in the mix, competition might naturally drive better pricing. However, Starlink itself is premium, so local ISPs should consider creative offerings like “off-peak” free data (since capacity will be ample at night with the new cable), or community data plans where a group of users share a large pool at lower per-gigabyte cost. The future prospect is that internet data becomes closer to a utility – always on and affordable – rather than a luxury metered commodity. Keeping an eye on that goal will ensure the benefits of connectivity reach all socio-economic groups.

Enhancing Local Content and Skills: As connectivity improves, it will be important to grow Tonga’s local digital ecosystem – content, services, and skills. Future prospects include more Tongan content online (government services, local businesses selling online, cultural and educational material in Tongan language). This will make the internet more valuable to Tongans. The government can encourage this by digitizing more services and supporting local creators or developers. For example, establishing a small grant fund or innovation hub for tech entrepreneurs could spur the creation of local apps or websites (perhaps an e-commerce platform for Tongan handicrafts, or a streaming site for local music and church events). On the skills front, integrating digital literacy in education is key – ensure that as students get internet access, they also learn how to use it safely and productively. Tonga could partner with organizations like the Internet Society or ITU for community training programs so that new internet users (like elders in villages getting connected via Starlink) understand the basics and also cyber-safety (avoiding scams, etc.).

Disaster-Proofing Communication: While infrastructure redundancy is one aspect, maintaining communication during disasters also involves power backup and emergency preparedness. Future planning should ensure cell towers and key network nodes have backup power (generators, solar+battery) for when the electric grid fails (which it often can during cyclones). The 2022 volcano taught that even if satellite connectivity is available, you need power and equipment that can operate in ash and extreme conditions. Tonga might invest in a few portable satellite terminals for disaster response, and harden critical facilities. One recommendation is the creation of an emergency communications plan that includes satellite phones or push-to-talk satellite radios for outer islands, a stockpile of spare parts for quick repairs, and a protocol for rapidly deploying things like Starlink units to community centers post-disaster. Collaborating with regional neighbors on this (through the newly announced Pacific Subsea Cable Resilience initiative ^[211] or similar) can provide resources and shared expertise.

Competition and Market Health: With Telstra (via Digicel) and TCC and now Starlink, Tonga’s market is small but it has more players than before. The regulator should ensure a level playing field where new technologies (LEO satellites, etc.) can integrate without unfairly squeezing local providers, but also that incumbents don’t abuse their power. If, for instance, TCC and Digicel both resell Starlink, there’s a risk they could collude on pricing. The regulator might need to monitor this to ensure that Starlink’s direct option remains open and reasonably priced to keep competitive pressure. Additionally, in the future, welcoming other satellite players like OneWeb or Pacific-focused satellites could further enhance competition. OneWeb (another LEO constellation) might cover the Pacific by 2025–26; Tonga could preemptively reach out to invite them to provide service as well. More competition usually yields better prices and innovation.

Leveraging Connectivity for Development: Finally, the ultimate goal is that improved internet access translates into socio-economic gains for Tonga. Prospects here include growth in the digital economy – perhaps call centers or small IT outsourcing ventures could operate from Tonga if connectivity becomes world-class (after all, Tonga is English-speaking, literate, with a young population – ingredients for a BPO industry if bandwidth and reliability issues are resolved). Tourism could benefit by promoting Tonga as a more connected destination (some tourists, e.g., yachties, value having reliable internet now provided by things like Starlink in anchorages). Education and healthcare can improve through tele-education and telemedicine – for example, specialists in Nuku’alofa could consult patients in Vava’u via video link reliably, which has been trialed and could become routine with better connectivity.

To realize these benefits, the government and stakeholders should actively integrate the new connectivity capacities into their development plans. A recommendation is to draft an updated National Broadband Plan or Digital Economy Strategy around 2025 that sets targets (like X% of businesses online, Y number of tech jobs created, Z increase in ICT’s contribution to GDP) and aligns investments and training towards those targets. Donors are often willing to fund such forward-looking initiatives, especially if they build on the infrastructure they’ve helped finance.

In conclusion, Tonga’s future in terms of internet access looks brighter than ever. By 2025–2026, Tonga is likely to have one of the most robust connectivity setups in the Pacific, relative to its size – dual cables, multiple satellite options, 5G coverage in urban areas, and a tech-savvy young generation. The key will be to ensure this connectivity is resilient, affordable, and utilized for the betterment of all Tongans. With prudent policies and continuous investment in people and technology, Tonga can overcome its geographic challenges and fully embrace the digital age, transforming those far-flung islands into well-connected hubs of opportunity.

Sources:

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• Developing Telecoms, “Digicel Pacific network uses SES satcoms for disaster recovery”, Sep. 2024 ^{[236] [237]}.
• Matangi Tonga, “Tonga to get second undersea cable in USD$32m project”, June 22, 2024 ^[238].
• (Additional data from ITU, World Bank, and local news sites as cited above.) ^{[239] [240]}

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