Guam - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband

Executive summary

The island of Guam has one of the most advanced telecommunications infrastructure and systems in the South Pacific region, based on size and population. It is accessible to the nexus of the Pacific’s underwater fibre optics cabling network, establishing Guam as a telecom hotspot for numerous international providers. Ten submarine cables link the island with Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Australia and some surrounding islands in Micronesia.

There are five wireless companies, three competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) and two competing Pay TV providers, in addition to the local telephone company operating as carrier of last resort, (GTA) which was privatised in 2005.

Growth in broadband and Pay TV sectors as well as the cellular mobile market has increased and this trend is expected to continue into 2010/11. A wireless broadband service via wireless hotspots was available throughout the island. At the same time, over 50% of the broadband market was being supplied via cable modem access. The 2 Pay TV operators are now offering bundled services triple/quad play in an effort to attract and retain customers.

In this report we provide an overview of the operators and the telecommunications systems, some background information on market changes and statistics where available. With a transient military population and large tourists numbers accurate subscriber statistics are difficult to obtain or analyse.

Market highlights:

• Infrastructure and economic activity in the island is set to increase until 2014, due to military personnel relocations back to Guam;
• There are many submarine cables with landing points in Guam, more activity is likely;
• In 2010/11 FttH is to be expanded across the island;
• US broadband stimulus package money of millions of dollars is expected to increase connectivity in Guam, between Guam and CNMI and update technology in the educational sector.

Guam: key mobile parameters – 2009 - 2010

(Source: BuddeComm)

Note: *Only 4 operators with operational services in 2009.

Data in this report is the latest available at the time of preparation and may not be for the current year.

Table of Contents

• 1. Executive summary
• 2. Key statistics
• 3. Country overview
• 4. Telecommunications market
  • 4.1 Overview of Guam’s telecom market
• 5. Regulatory environment
  • 5.1 Regulatory authorities
    • 5.1.1 Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
    • 5.1.2 Guam Public Utilities Commission (GPUC)
• 6. Fixed network operators in Guam
  • 6.1 GTA Teleguam
  • 6.2 MCV
  • 6.3 Long-distance operators
    • 6.3.1 GTA
    • 6.3.2 IT&E
• 7. Telecommunications infrastructure
  • 7.1 National telecom network
    • 7.1.1 Network overview
    • 7.1.2 Fibre optic network
  • 7.2 International infrastructure
    • 7.2.1 Infrastructure overview
    • 7.2.2 Submarine cable networks
    • 7.2.3 GTA partners with Sprint in contract for DISN Transoceanic optical transport
    • 7.2.4 Palau-Guam-Yap cable still a proposal
  • 7.3 Infrastructure developments
    • 7.3.1 Fibre-to-the-Home (FttH)
    • 7.3.2 Broadband stimulus package money
    • 7.3.3 Next Generation Networks (NGNs)
• 8. Internet market
  • 8.1 Overview
    • 8.1.1 Internet statistics
  • 8.2 ISP market
    • 8.2.1 Spyder Internet
• 9. Broadband access market
  • 9.1 Overview
    • 9.1.1 Broadband statistics
  • 9.2 DSL and cable modems
    • 9.2.1 Wholesale DSL broadband services
  • 9.3 Wireless broadband
• 10. Digital media market
  • 10.1 Broadcasting overview
  • 10.2 Digital TV / Cable TV
    • 10.2.1 GUdTV
    • 10.2.2 MCV broadband
• 11. Digital economy
  • 11.1 Overview
  • 11.2 Social media in the Air Force
• 12. Mobile communications
  • 12.1 Overview of Guam’s mobile market
    • 12.1.1 Mobile statistics
  • 12.2 Number portability
  • 12.3 Major mobile operators
    • 12.3.1 GTA TeleGuam (MPULSE wireless)
    • 12.3.2 DOCOMO PACIFIC
    • 12.3.3 IT&E Wireless
    • 12.3.4 iConnect
    • 12.3.5 i CAN_GSM
  • 12.4 Mobile data
    • 12.4.1 Overview
    • 12.4.2 Content and applications
• 13. Related reports

• Table 1 – Country statistics Guam – 2010
• Table 2 – Telephone network statistics – 2009
• Table 3 – Internet provider statistics – 2010
• Table 4 – Internet user statistics – 2010
• Table 5 – Mobile statistics – March 2010
• Table 6 – National telecommunications authorities
• Table 7 – Estimated Internet users and penetration rate – 1997; 2000 - 2010
• Table 8 – Broadband subscribers and penetration rate - 2001; 2007 - 2010
• Table 9 – Key broadcasting statistics - 2010
• Table 10 – Mobile operators and technology – 2010
• Table 11 – Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1994 - 2011
• Table 12 – HafaTEL mobile subscribers (historic) – 2004; 2006 - 2007

• Exhibit 1 – GTA Teleguam – history and privatisation
• Exhibit 2 – Major submarine cables with landing points in Guam – 2010
• Exhibit 3 – Guam major ISPs and broadband providers – products and services
• Exhibit 4 – GUAMCELL brief company history
• Exhibit 5 – Guam Wireless Co (HafaTEL) brief company history