MP Paea congratulates people of Sikaiana as 4G tower now operational
BY IRWIN ANGIKI
People on Sikaiana, Malaita Outer Islands, are celebrating their telecommunications tower which began operating yesterday [Thursday, Jan 22].
Member of Parliament (MP) for Malaita Outer Islands, Polycarp Paea, has joined his constituents on Sikaiana celebrating and congratulating them on realising this development which he described as a ‘bridge’ connecting Sikaiana to the rest of the country and world.
Sikaiana’s Member of Provincial Assembly, Lemuel Kevianga also appreciated this development saying the tower’s service will boost livelihoods on the island.
Community chief and Sikaiana rep in the Malaita Outer Islands constituency development committee, Travolta Patau told Island Sun yesterday there was excitement all over as Sikaiana people in Honiara and around the country called their family members on the island.
He said the tower functions on the Our Telekom network, and this is the first time for the service to be made available there.
“The tower provides 4G telecommunications service, so people on Sikaiana can call or access internet using the Our Telekom sim card. It began service around 12pm today [yesterday].
“This is a great step ahead for Sikaiana in terms of communications, which will assist in development and improved welfare of people on the island,” Mr Patau said.
Patau gave credit to the people of Sikaiana for cooperating to allow the tower be built without any disturbance.
He also thanked MP Paea and MPA Kevianga for pushing in their capacities for the tower to be built.
Leaders of Sikaiana, both national and provincial governments, welcomed the news of the tower being operational expressing pleasure at this longtime-anticipated development being realised during their tenures.
MP Paea thanked the national government and the partnership with China for the tower.
“This tower ends our long isolation. For the first time, my people in Sikaiana can quickly call for emergency help, connect with family across the islands, and open new opportunities for education and business.
“It links our community directly to Solomon Islands and the world. This is a historic step forward, bringing hope, safety, and progress to Sikaiana.
“As the Member of Parliament for Malaita Outer Islands, today is a historic and joyful day for our people.
“For the first time ever, our ward of Sikaiana has a working communications tower. This is not just a piece of metal, it is a bridge.”
MPA Kevianga praised God and the GNUT government.
“First, we thank God for this historic development on Sikaiana. I also thank GNUT and the Malaita provincial government for their aligned policies which saw the tower on Sikaiana being considered as a priority development to be implemented as soon as can be.
“I also thank my people of Sikaiana for supporting the project and allowing it to be built and installed without any disturbances.
“I encourage my people of Sikaiana to take ownership of the tower and service and care for it as it will help us and the future generations of Sikaiana.
“Utilise the services provided by the tower to enhance business opportunities, educational opportunities, welfare, livelihood and development opportunities,” Kevianga said.
Communication on Sikaiana
For decades Sikaiana had depended on the two-way radio for communication to the rest of the country.
This mode of communication had huge setbacks which people of Sikaiana had had to bear with the associated inconveniences: Depending on the sun for solar power, two-way radio devices on the island shut down during bad weather; At a given time, only one two-way radio device was functional on Sikaiana, and persons calling from outside would have to wait while the person they want to speak with was being sought to come to the radio, or book an appointment; There was no privacy with communication on the two-way radio since it was an open channel; Radio operators on Sikaiana only went online for an hour or two in the mornings and evenings.
In March, 2024, all this changed when Satsol and Starlink services were installed on Sikaiana.
People could now communicate using the internet, which was mainly done via the social media apps such as facebook, messenger and whatsapp. However, challenges remained whether a person was online or not.
With the tower’s functioning, Sikaiana people can access all forms of communications at their convenience.
Government’s 161 tower project being realised
Sikaiana’s tower is one of the 161 telecommunication towers which government is installing across the country.
As of January 2026, construction of the 161 towers is in its final phase. Known as the Solomon Islands National Broadband Infrastructure Project (SINBIP), the initiative aims to bridge the digital divide and provide 3G/4G connectivity to 80 percent of the population especially in the rural areas.
The towers are being built by Huawei and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication and Aviation.
The project is funded by a US$66 million (approx SBD537 million) concessional loan from the Export-Import Bank of China with a 1 percent interest rate over 20 years.
To date, 60 towers are fully commissioned and on air. The tower on Sikaiana is expected to be commissioned soon.
Government expects the remaining towers to be completed and fully operational by August this year.
