Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that he has informed the Governor and the Fono regarding a potential breakthrough for providing American Samoa with internet and telecommunications connectivity with the rest of the world through fiber-optic cable.

 “I met recently with industry representatives who proposed laying a new undersea fiber-optic cable to American Samoa,” Faleomavaega said.  “The potential benefits for America Samoa make this proposal very promising.”

   “For less cost than we currently pay for limited capacity via satellite, we could have broadband internet service, better and cheaper telephone and cell phone service, and television service that includes hundreds of channels.”

 “More importantly, a fiber-optic cable here would provide ready access to educational resources for grade school all the way through graduate programs, telemedicine capability that would help save lives in emergency situations, and business opportunities that would be created here in American Samoa as a result of this connectivity – from call centers to telecommuting.  Also, undersea cable is far more reliable than satellite communication, allowing for greater ease of communication during times of natural disasters.” 

 “In the past, the high up-front costs associated with a project of this size made it cost-prohibitive.  In this instance, the project allows for the payment of the cost over time, at a rate that is roughly equal to the current expenses incurred for satellite usage.”

 “I believe fiber-optic cable would be such a tremendous benefit to American Samoa educationally, economically, and for addressing our health concerns.  I have informed the Governor and the Fono of this matter and have asked the Governor if he would have the opportunity to meet with the industry representatives to discuss the project’s potential,” Faleomavaega concluded.