22. The 2013 National Infrastructure Investment Plan proposed universal access to ICT as a strategy to address what it identified as significant ICT gaps: Sub-sector ICT 23. Issues  There is a gap of 20% that needs to be covered in terms of ICT coverage nationwide. This relates specifically to remote rural scattered communities.  Internet access gap is 96%.  Fixed line gap is 98.4%  Expensive fixed and wireless broadband costs due to limited competition and spread and remoteness of some communities.  Monopoly over fixed lines by Solomon Telekom.  Shortage in skilled ICT personnel.  High upfront investment and transaction costs.  Foregone economic opportunities. Strategies  ICT universal access for all.  Support for extension of ICT services into remote uneconomic areas Proposals in respect of the possible future form of “universal access” support are set out below (paras. 90 – 96). International connectivity 24. At present, Solomon Islands relies entirely on satellite transponder capacity for international connectivity to the rest of the world. Satellite capacity is expensive, relative to fibre optic cable capacity. Satellite services also have much higher latency13 than fibre services, which makes satellite capacity unsuitable, or inferior, for time- sensitive applications. A fibre optic submarine cable landing in Solomon Islands was previously proposed by the Solomons Oceanic Cable Company (“SOCC”), with domestic cable links to Auki (in Malaita) and Noro (in 14 Western Province) and the possibility of further connections into cable systems landing in other locations, such as Port Moresby. 25. Government services, businesses and private users would benefit greatly from the availability of fast, reliable and cheaper international connectivity. Businesses’ operating costs should fall and Internet service become affordable to more customers than previously. As a further benefit of submarine cable access, it is expected that satellite broadband capacity currently used by Telekom and Bemobile 13 Signals take just over one tenth of a second to reach a satellite in geostationary orbit approximately 36,000km above the Earth, and another tenth of a second to earth again. Even at the speed of light this introduces a delay of at least 440 milliseconds into any satellite connection. 14 SOCC is 51% owned by the National Provident Fund of Solomon Islands and 49% by Solomon Telecommunication Company Limited. Page | 15 Solomon Islands National ICT Policy