Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC) and Digicel Tonga have both launched their commercial 5G networks.
The two telcos launched their respective networks within a week of each other.
Digicel launched its 5G network on November 29, before TCC launched its network last week under its U Cell brand in partnership with Chinese vendor Huawei.
Digicel noted that it launched its 5G network in Kolomotu’a, Fanga, Pili, Kolofo’ou, Ma’ufanga, and Ma’ufanga Wharf.
"We’re building on the strong foundation of our 4G network to usher in a new era of connectivity with 5G. This launch isn’t just about faster speeds, it’s about delivering an exceptional experience for our customers in Tonga," said Digicel Tonga CEO, Daniel Horan.
The carrier didn't state which vendor it had partnered with, but did note that initial test results at the 5G sites produced average speeds of 550-600Mbps.
Meanwhile, a live speed test carried out by Huawei during TCC's 5G launch delivered download speeds of 854Mbps and upload speeds of 57.2Mbps between the 5G base station and a local server. This was in comparison to the 53Mbps downstream and 26.3Mbps upstream for the carrier's 4G network.
