This Universal Access Policy (UAP) Report provides an update to our stakeholders and the citizens of Vanuatu on the status of the implementation of Government’s UAP. This is the eleventh (11th) report since the initial implementation of the UAP, however, it is the first report after the extension on the implementation period of the UAP which is now extended to the 1st of January 2022. This report highlights the progress that has been made in respect of UAP implementation to date.
The initial implementation of the UAP came to an end on the 1st of January 2018. After this period, the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO), the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) and the Office of the Telecommunications, Radiocommunications and Broadcasting Regulator (TRBR) continued to receive complains about mobile network coverage issues and quality of service issues. The Prime Minister, Hon. Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas who was the Minister responsible for Telecommunications and ICT then, requested that more efforts be put into addressing the continuous network coverage issues. On the 30th of October 2019, the Council of Ministers (COM) then approved the extension of the implementation period of the UAP to the 1st of January 2022 according to COM Decision 291 of 2019.