Government signs letter of intent for the installation of submarine fiber optic cable
On March 19, the Government signed a letter of intent for the connection of a fiber optic cable between the Indonesian island of Alor and Timor-Leste, in a ceremony held at Timor Plaza in Dili.
The Prime Minister, Marí Alkatiri, accompanied by the Vice Minister of Development for Transport and Communications, Inácio Freitas Moreira, and the representatives of both companies responsible for the submarine cable installation, signed the letter of intent which will enable increased access and high speed broadband internet to the whole country, in a private investment estimated around one billion US dollars.
The two companies, Moratelindo and Telin, will create a company in Timor-Leste to manage this project, where 30% of shares will belong to the State of Timor-Leste.
Yogie Bahar, responsible for Telin, said that he hopes that “within six months fiber optic can reach all Timor-Leste”. Michael McPhail, responsible for Moratelindo’s, pointed out the “decrease of costs and the large increase in access to high speed internet ”, adding that this project “is a great step towards the country’s development”.
Marí Alkatiri stated that “breaking Timor-Leste isolation from the rest of the world is a priority of the Seventh Constitutional Government, to which fiber optic is essential, helping the country’s development and bringing great benefits to all Timorese citizens."
The Prime Minister highlighted that this is a project which depends 100% on direct foreign investment “which shows great confidence in the country and has a great impact in the national economy and facilitates the fight against inequalities within Timor-Leste.”
The ceremony was also attended by several members of the Government, the President of the National Parliament, diplomatic corps, development partners and companies’ responsible in the telecommunications sector.
