The deal will see Vodafone place Manatua connectivity at the heart of its plans to transform connectivity in the Cook Islands.
Avaroa Cable, which built the cable, and Vodafone said that one small island, Aitutaki, is the first to benefit – with services already transferred to the cable. Aitutaki has about 10% of the whole Cook Islands’ population.
When Capacity interviewed Avaroa CEO Ranulf Scarbrough (pictured, left) in August for episode 16 of our Digital Digest podcast, the Microsoft Teams connection used the O3b satellite system from the Cook Islands to Hawaii, where the call transferred to subsea cable.
Scarbrough, who is also co-chair of the Manatua Cable Consortium, said of the pioneering agreement: “It’s been fantastic to help Vodafone bring the power of the Manatua cable to their customers on Aitutaki and for Aitutakians to be the first to benefit from this massive regional investment. And this is only just the first step.”
The agreement makes Vodafone, Avaroa and the Cook Islands the first to make use of the ground-breaking 3,600km Manatua One Polynesia cable, which was completed just weeks ago.
Phill Henderson (pictured, right), CEO of Vodafone Cook Islands, said: “The Manatua cable positions us well as we continue our push in taking the Cook Islands into a new digital society. Vodafone is pleased to be the anchor customer and the first to use the Manatua service commercially. We can now leverage the improved performance of the cable system to provide a better customer experience and will be advising customers of the benefits that the additional Manatua capacity will provide.”
Engineers from Vodafone and Avaroa Cable worked through the night to transfer users on the island to the new infrastructure, ensuring the transition was seamless. Fibre connectivity put in place between the two companies’ facilities earlier in the year for testing meant the transition was both quick and efficient.
The cable replaces satellite connectivity that had previously connected the island and makes Aitutaki, with a population of just 1,700, one of the smallest fibre connected islands in the world.
The new connection will be followed by new international connectivity for the Cook Islands over the Manatua cable into Rarotonga, the biggest of the islands, from which Aitutaki will also benefit.
The Cook Islands involvement in the Manatua Cable project has been supported by a grant from the New Zealand Aid Programme and a development loan from the Asian Development Bank.
Rachel Bennett, acting New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, said: “The improvement of digital connectivity in the Pacific is critical for regional development. The Manatua cable is a symbol of the close partnership between New Zealand and Cook Islands, and our joint commitment to improve the lives of Cook islanders.”
Leah Gutierrez, director general of the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific department said: “The arrival of high-speed broadband will boost Cook Islands’ international connectivity. The social and economic benefits of the new high-speed internet service will be many – especially in the health, education and finance sectors.”
