The ETC in the Pacific was activated in 2016 under the structure of the Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT) to support telecommunications preparedness in the region. The ETC in the Pacific is supporting the response to the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha-apai underwater volcano and subsequent tsunami which hit Tonga on 15 January 2022.
Highlights
• Both telecommunications service providers in Tonga—Digicel and the Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC)—have restored limited voice, SMS, and internet services in country.
Challenges remain with capacity of the networks to support the needs of the response community and the population of Tonga.
• The ETC is supporting the response in Tonga by addressing communications gaps for government and responders until national telecommunications providers have fully recovered, and the damaged undersea communications cable is repaired. Solutions include deployment of communications equipment from Fiji via a landing stage in Brisbane, Australia, set up as part of regional preparedness actions.