86.
The enabling environment created by the Telecommunications Act has seen
significant network investment, since the Act commenced in September 2009.
Investment has been concentrated, however, in 2G and 3G mobile network
infrastructure. An important policy issue arises as to whether (and, if so, how) to
provide financial support to encourage or to fund the construction of infrastructure
and delivery of services to areas in which operators do not perceive demand that is
sufficient to justify the investment required (i.e. where there are communities that
operators perceive as being “uneconomic” to serve). The traditional approach to
providing such support is for a government agency to impose a levy on all
telecommunications operators, and transfer an allocation from the funds raised to
whichever operator actually builds network to serve such “uneconomic” areas. Part
6 of the Telecommunications Act 2009 authorises these kind of arrangements.
87.
At the same time that it is vitally important for ICT to become more accessible,
available and affordable in Solomon Islands, the malicious or negligent misuse of
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Solomon Islands National ICT Policy