Digicel Samoa cleared to offer 5G service

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Digicel Samoa announced on Monday that it has been granted conditional approval from the Government of Samoa to launch 5G technology, and is already working with Nokia to upgrade its cell tower sites.

Digicel Samoa said the upgrades will start with cell tower sites in Apia. The telco will be deploying Nokia’s AirScale non-standalone (NSA) 5G to overlay the technology on its existing 4G network.

“Nokia’s state-of-the-art equipment will enable us to not only sustain but also improve coverage across the country, boosting mobile internet speeds and embracing transformative technologies like 5G,” said Digicel Samoa CEO Anthony Seuseu in a statement.

Seuseu added that the upgraded cell tower sites in Apia and across the island will be consistent with cyber security standards defined for 5G to ensure the security and resilience of critical national infrastructure.

“This collaboration underscores our commitment to maintaining the integrity of telecommunications infrastructure while advancing 5G technology,” he said.

Seuseu didn’t offer a timeline for when services would be launched, but said that “with the conditional approval from the Office of the Regulator for the introduction of 5G technology, we look forward to ushering in a new era of connectivity with diverse applications for our customers soon.”