Tonga’s Ministry of Communication (MEIDECC) has labelled social media posts which appeared to have come from Lightspeed Pacific claiming it was “authorised” to resell Starlink products in the kingdom as “misleading” and “falsely” promoted.
It comes after the government granted Starlink Pacific Islands LLC a provisional temporary permit to operate in the Kingdom for six months starting in July.
The Ministry’s Acting Director and Chief Engineer Stan ‘Ahio said only two companies are allowed to sell Starlink equipment in Tonga.
“We would like to clarify that the only authorized resellers for Starlink services in Tonga are” TokoWireless Ltd (Wantok) and Digicel Tonga Ltd.
“We urge the public to exercise caution when considering any purchases from Lightspeed Pacific”.
He said customers who purchased Starlink kits and equipment from Lightspeed Pacific could face activating service issues and potential confiscation at Tonga’s border without the possibility of returning them to the owner.
Mr Ahio told Kaniva News that Lightspeed Pacific advertisement’s claim that “Boost your internet with a Starlink Authorised Reseller in Fiji, Tonga and Solomon Islands” is allegedly misleading.
In Mr ‘Ahio’s view, the advertisement can be seen as Lightspeed Pacific being “an authorised reseller for Tonga,” which it is not.
Fiji company
The advertisement in question included a link to lightspeed.com.fj.
The company’s website claimed it has “Managed Services Provider (MSP) with a decade of experience in the Pacific Islands”.
It also said: “Lightspeed Fiji provides exceptional expertise in the deployment of satellite internet, managed services, and video streaming solutions in the Pacific region. With over 1000 satisfied managed services clients in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, and Fiji, our primary focus is on ensuring uninterrupted online connectivity for our customers.”
The company’s website does not indicate that it is authorised to serve as a Starlink reseller for Tonga.
We are unable to independently verify if the advertisement on social media originates from lightspeed.com.fj.
Kaniva News has reached out to Lightspeed Pacific and lightspeed.com.fj but have not had a response.
Previous warning
Last month, the Ministry of Communication (MEIDECC) issued a warning about local companies and individuals selling Starlink satellites without the necessary licenses, labelling their activities as “illegal.”
The temporary permit provided to Starloink, which is expected to expire in December, includes several conditions to ensure compliance with government regulations.
One of the conditions of the permit is that Starlink is required to facilitate local payment methods for businesses in Tonga and to provide details of the terminals used in Tonga.
The company must also ensure it satisfies all tax obligations and is expected to facilitate local payment methods for businesses in Tonga.
“This temporary permit follows recent events where the government instructed Starlink to cease its services in Tonga due to illegal use of satellite terminals and disruptions caused by the undersea fibre cable outage to Vava’u and Ha’apai Islands since June 29th,” the MEIDECC’s chief executive Sione Pulotu ‘Akau’ola said in a statement at the time.
“The issuance of this permit aims to address public concerns while ensuring that operations are conducted in accordance with regulatory requirements, resorting to the connectivity outages in the outer islands, while the application for a full license is finalising.”
