Samoa's change from analogue to digital communications has been delayed another three years because no companies are interested in doing the job.

The government initially put the transitition out to tender back in 2016.

The original plan was for the country's television services to use digital last year.

But local television operators raised concerns over cost.

The Minister for Commun.ations and Information Technology, Afamasaga Rico Tupa'i, said the project's cost for the government was high - the first phase would cost around US$4.5 million.

The Minister said the government was negotiating with overseas companies who were interested.

Afamasaga said a Chinese company would be sending a delegation early this year to consult the local businesses for partnership.

The unnamed company, according to the minister, had successfully transitioned analogue to digital in an African country with a population of 200,000 people.