Attorney-General and Minister for Communications, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says with a budgetary allocation of $4.5 million, Walesi is well placed now with the deployment of the FM radio network.
Sayed-Khaiyum says this will allow people to listen to their favourite radio station on the same frequency from anywhere in Fiji and also free up radio frequencies for other purposes like telecommunications networks.
He says the intention is for Walesi services to expand to look after all broadcasting transmission, television and FM services.
Sayed-Khaiyum says this will provide economies of scale and ensure that all national linking and transmission sites are well serviced by utilities and connectivity.
He says this will also mean that all broadcasters will not only enjoy enhanced reach and better technical support, but also reduce the high operating cost on maintaining sites that have poor or no utility services and connectivity.
He says the allocation to Walesi will fund the construction of four key transmission sites.
The sites at Nakobalevu in Suva and Sabeto in Nadi are expected to be commissioned by November this year.
Sayed-Khaiyum says the other two scheduled to be commissioned by March 2022 are the Koro transmission site in Tavua and the Delaikoro site in Labasa.
Sayed-Khaiyum says the brown out or black out zones that are currently experienced when travelling in areas such as Pacific Harbour and the Coral Coast in Viti Levu or areas like Bua and Savusavu in Vanua Levu will be a thing of the past.
The Attorney General says building a common shared network will give other smaller broadcasters such as community and faith based radio stations the same competitive advantage as other commercial radio stations.
He says very soon Walesi app users will be able to access radio services on the app which is scheduled to be completed by November this year.
Sayed-Khaiyum says Walesi is now focused on ensuring that all eligible households have the prospect to obtain the Walesi equipment to prepare for the analogue to digital switch over.
He says the switch over will progressively be carried out nationwide beginning from Navua, Korovou and the Lautoka Nadi corridor by the 1st of December of year and then the remaining areas of Viti Levu, Vanua Levu and all the maritime islands will follow.
Sayed-Khaiyum also says the analogue to digital switchover date means that all the TV broadcasters will cease to transmit on the analogue platform.
He says this will regularize current practice and mandates that all TV broadcasters, free to air and pay per view, become tenants of the Walesi platform and Walesi will offer all tenants equitable access and geographical reach.
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