Ads by Google Ads by Google

ASTCA completes expansion of cell service to Fagamalo village

ASTCA logo
Source: ASTCA media release

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The American Samoa Telecommunications Authority (ASTCA) has expanded its LTE mobile phone and data service to the village of Fagamalo, Lealataua County. The new service expansion was commissioned on Friday, January 15, 2021.

ASTCA launched its LTE mobile network in the second half of 2019 with close to 30 cell sites and has been adding additional sites to expand the network’s coverage since that time.

American Samoa government’s phone service now operates 35 cell sites on Tutuila and Manu’a. This is a substantial increase over the 18 cell sites that comprised ASTCA’s aged CDMA mobile network, which was decommissioned a few months ago.

The additional LTE cell sites provide cell service to previously unserved locales, including the six villages located beyond Amanave (Nua, Seetaga, Poloa, Fagalii, Maloata, and now Fagamalo), as well as other villages and areas on Tutuila and Manu’a.

ASTCA plans to install approximately five more cell sites in 2021 as it seeks to provide subscribers with 99% coverage on Tutuila and Manu’a. The schedule for installing the additional cell sites cannot be con­firmed at this time, due to continuing delays caused by Covd-19.