By the end of the year 2019 to the beginning of 2020 Samoa should be using digital television broadcasting.
This was according to the Minister of Communication Infrastructure and Technology, Afamasaga Lepuia’i Rico Tupai in his interview with the media yesterday morning.
This development, the Office of the Regulator as well as a new company called Digital Samoa Company are working together to ensure this development will be a success.
“The aim is, by the end of the year 2019 part of this development is already up and running,” said Afamasaga.
“There are also so many good things that will come along the way in terms of publicity because of this development.
“Another positive thing about this is that we get to be closer to the outside world in the development of digital broadcasting rather than our current situation and we can finally move away from the analogue world.”
He was also asked on developments the pacific countries should start working on after the Asia Pacific Telecommunity Forum, and the Minister said the pacific will start working on digital services.
“For example, Samoa is leading the way for other pacific countries in terms of digital developments,” he said.
“At the moment the Government is discussing having Digital ID’s these id’s can be used in the future instead of passports to travel around the world.
“We won’t be needing driver’s license as well, we are also discussing that people can use this id to vote during our elections, and it can go as far as travelling between countries using this digital id.’
Moreover, Afamasaga said Samoa is the only pacific country who is moving towards the digital world.
He went on to say that next week as well another forum will also be held here and that forum will focus mainly on e-governance.
“That forum will look at the use of digital services between government ministries and not only that in between companies, which means if people apply for business license there won’t be any more paper work needed.
“So not only their digital ids will be use but the whole process will be done through computers there will be no more printing of any papers.
“Which means the government will not only save a lot of money but most especially their time in doing paper work.”
