CRA
Domestic Telecommunications Market
Telecommunications Regime
Under the Telecommunications Act 2019, responsibility for regulation of domestic telecommunications operations has passed from government ministry to the Competition & Regulatory Authority. At the same time, this legislation has provided for the termination of Telecom Cook Islands Limited’s long standing monopoly provision of telecommunication services, and for the introduction of competition. (The company now trades under the name Vodafone Cook Islands.)
The Authority’s role is to enable competition by licensing new players to provide telecommunications services, and to regulate competitive activity and consumer protection in accordance with internationally recognized competition law principles.
In addition, the Authority manages the Country’s radiocommunications spectrum, by assigning the use of particular radio frequencies to those providing wireless communications, and by authorizing the use of particular radiocommunications apparatus.
Telecommunications Services Licensing Policy
Licensing of Avaroa Cable Limited
The new era of significantly improved telecommunications in Cook Islands, commenced with the arrival in 2020 of the Manatua international undersea optic fiber communications cable. The full potential for the Country of the massive capacity of this cable will be released as traffic begins to flow both East and West for Cook Islands, and as existing local infrastructure is improved, or newly installed by new service providers.
For more information about the cable and the government owned Avaroa Cable Limited (ACL)
The Authority has licensed ACL to provide wholesale telecommunications services to all parties authorized to provide downstream telecommunications services to the public. ACL itself is not permitted to provide retail services.
The terms and conditions of ACL’s licence can be viewed here.
Licensing of Vodafone Cook Islands
Vodafone Cook Islands, (VCI) is the trading name of Telecom Cook Islands Limited. As at 1 March 2021, the Company remains the sole service provider actively providing mobile telephony services in the Country.
For more information about the Company and its services go to vodafone.co.ck.
VCI’s current licence has been conferred by Parliament, in Schedule 2 of the Telecommunications Act 2019. Its terms and conditions can be viewed here.
Licensing of new Service Providers
The introduction of customer choice in Cook Islands telecommunications has commenced with the authority issuing four internet service provider (ISP) licences. However, this kind of licence does not allow ISP networks to carry fixed or mobile number calls. ISP customers can nonetheless use their devices to communicate via ‘over-the-top’ (OTT) internet applications such as Zoom, Skype, Facetime, etc., provided both call parties deploy the same application. These services are therefore less expedient than voice calls and SMS messages which can be delivered to any fixed or mobile number domestically and internationally.
There is no restriction on the number of new ISP licensees, anyone interested starting up such a business should contact the Chair of the Authority.
The details of the new ISPs and the terms and conditions of their licences can be viewed here.
The commencement of operations by the new licensees has been severely affected by the travel and supply restrictions arising from the Covid 19 pandemic.
Questions around the authorization of a second mobile telephony operator are addressed below.
Telecommunications Services Licensing Policy
Licensing of Avaroa Cable Limited
The new era of significantly improved telecommunications in Cook Islands, commenced with the arrival in 2020 of the Manatua international undersea optic fiber communications cable. The full potential for the Country of the massive capacity of this cable will be released as traffic begins to flow both East and West for Cook Islands, and as existing local infrastructure is improved, or newly installed by new service providers.
For more information about the cable and the government owned Avaroa Cable Limited (ACL)
The Authority has licensed ACL to provide wholesale telecommunications services to all parties authorized to provide downstream telecommunications services to the public. ACL itself is not permitted to provide retail services.
The terms and conditions of ACL’s licence can be viewed here.