Telecommunications in American Samoa

This article is about communications systems in American Samoa.

In 2009, American Samoa was connected to the Internet using the ASH undersea cable that increased bandwidth from 20 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s.^[1][2] The project used a defunct Pacrim East cable built in 1993 that previously connected Hawaii with New Zealand. The cable system now connects Samoa to American Samoa and then to Hawaii where it will connect to global submarine networks.

A second fiber optic cable connecting American Samoa is expected to be operational in early 2011.^[3]. The SPIN (South Pacific Island Network) cable system will link Auckland - Noumea and Tahiti (640 Gbit/s design capacity). It will have several branching units for Norfolk Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa and American Samoa.^[4] SPIN is a French government funded project to connect France with its overseas territories.

The landing site for the SPIN cable will be near the Tafuna International Airport.^[5]

Telephone

Main lines in use: 10,400 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 202

Mobile cellular: 2,200 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 210

Telephone system:
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
international access code: +1.684 (in the North American Numbering Plan, Area code 684)

Radio

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2005)

Radios: 57,000 (1997)

Television

Television broadcast stations: 4 (2006) Televisions: 14,000 (1997)

Internet

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): at least 3 ^[6]

Internet country code: .as

Internet Hosts: 1,923 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 141

Internet users: NA

Criticism

Despite the millions of dollars that governor Togiola Tulafono spent into bringing fiber optic to American Samoa, the Internet is still as slow before. The two Internet service providers that anyone on the island is actually familiar with offer the same speed at the same prices. Before fiber optic, one can see speeds up to 256k for the public while paying $75. After fiber optic, the latency may have changed but not the pricing/speed scheme which stayed at around 256k/$75.

See also

• American Samoa

Notes

1. ^ iTWire - Samoans one step closer to broadband
2. ^ eLandia and American Samoa Inaugurate Submarine Cable
3. ^ Samoa News|ASTCA Director apprises Fono of alternate fiber optic cable
4. ^ TechDay - We'll partner with Kordia on international cable - SPIN
5. ^ American Samoa Telecommunications Authority Building - Fletcher Construction Company
6. ^ ASTCA - Samoatelco [1], BlueSky Communications [2], Pacifica IT [3]