Backbone telecommunications network provider Telecom Fiji has announced the successful completion of the Savusavu to Labasa Fibre Project, described as a major milestone in enhancing digital connectivity across Vanua Levu, the second largest of Fiji’s islands.
This initiative marks the completion of the critical backbone infrastructure. The next phase will focus on distribution for community and business use.
The project was made possible through strategic collaborations, integrating Kordia’s expertise in network deployment and Ciena’s 5184, a modern, secure coherent routing solution. Kordia is a leading provider of innovative technology solutions to a wide range of corporate and government clients throughout New Zealand, Australia and the wider Pacific. Ciena is a global leader in networking systems, services, and software. The announcement comes about six months after we reported that Telecom Fiji had signed a partnership deal with Kordia (see photo) to install a new transmission network for Vanua Levu.
The backbone network follows a robust infrastructure path: international connectivity comes via the Savusavu submarine cable, landing at the Savusavu Cable Landing Station on the south coast of Vanua Levu. From there, it is routed to the Savusavu Exchange, then extended to the Seaqaqa Exchange, and finally reaches the Labasa Exchange, forming a high-capacity data corridor for the Northern Division, one of four divisions into which Fiji's fourteen provinces are grouped for local government purposes.
The fibre optic link between Savusavu and Labasa provides a high-capacity, resilient network that improves broadband speed and reliability, reducing dependence on traditional microwave networks prone to disruption.
A special milestone in this project was the connection of Saivou Village, which has never before had access to internet services.
The project forms a key part of Telecom Fiji’s five-year fibre investment strategy to future-proof Fiji’s telecommunications infrastructure.
With the backbone now in place, Telecom Fiji is committed to the next phase of development – expanding fibre distribution to ensure accessible, high-speed internet services for homes, businesses, and institutions across Vanua Levu.