In a number of localities we are just a few metres away from having fibre-optic cable with very high-speed internet access to our homes and offices, thanks to an important upgrade on Go's national network concluded last year.
The so-called "1.5-kilometre project", similar to the "last mile" idea in other countries, is a project which is in the process of upgrading Go's national fixed-line network to a point where all communication from the exchange to the street is done over fibre-optic cable, the best technology available to carry data. Only the last stretch from the street cabinet to the home or office is still based on copper wire.
"The 1.5-kilometre project is the next evolution in ADSL technology and it provides much better stability, higher speeds and a better overall service," Norbert Prihoda, chief operations officer at Go told iTech. "This development is a stepping stone towards implementing the fibre-to-home concept eventually, though Go today is already delivering fibre-optic access to big corporate clients with speeds up to 1 GB/s."
Joe Bugeja, Go's chief technology officer, explained how the fibre-optic network was extended in a number of localities during 2009 to provide fibre-to-the-cabinet in the street, which means ADSL users are on a fibre-optic network right up to the last few metres to their residence. The whole network was previously made exclusively of copper wire. The exchanges are connected to each other through fibre-optic. Go is currently considering implementing other phases of this project in the coming months.
In the budget speech for 2009 the government had announced it would start experimenting with fibre-to-home internet access, however this was not implemented last year. In the meantime Go has gone a step nearer in realising this.
Fibre-optic is the fastest communication channel technology available and supports speeds unheard of until now. However, there is no use in having these speeds on the Maltese backbone and much more limited links to the rest of the world.
Go is the only provider in Malta to have two separate submarine data cable links to mainland Europe through Sicily. One of them is the first cable installed when internet access was launched in 1995. The other was commissioned in late 2008. Both are used for internet, point-to-point connections and voice traffic.
"Both submarine data cables are operating magnificently," a delighted Mr Bugeja remarked. "The demand for IP (internet protocol) bandwidth is increasing dramatically and we not only guarantee the availability of bandwidth but also resilience, as we have two separate cables and two separate upstream providers connecting us to mainland Europe."
Though Go has automatic redundancy with two cables, the Malta Communications Authority requires local communications providers with international links to have redundancy plans between themselves, in case of problems on their international cable connectivity. Both Vodafone and Melita have their own cable linking Malta to Sicily and are therefore also bound by these regulations.
"We have signed a redundancy agreement with Vodafone, however we still have not yet signed an agreement with Melita," Mr Prihoda told i-Tech. "We are still open to come to an agreement. We must remember that this is mandatory by law."
Go is a quad-player, which means it provides fixed-line telephony, mobile telephony, internet access and TV channels. Besides ADSL through a normal telephone line, internet access is also available through WiMax wireless broadband, dedicated IP over fibre connection and mobile technology. Go is one of two local operators offering WiMax but this has not fired the imagination of the Maltese market.
"We still offer WiMax to our clients as part of a portfolio of different access methods that complement each other. This is our 'internet everywhere' proposition," said Go's chief technology officer.
On the other hand, internet access over mobile technology, especially the internet keys, has been a huge success. Last year Go combined both an internet key and a netbook or laptop in a single package for a monthly fee and the market responded quite well.
"The secret behind the success of Go's Laptop Connect offer is the data access and the partnership with the vendor, Smart Technologies. We have fine-tuned the offering after receiving feedback from customers. We have new models of laptops in the pipeline," added Mr Prihoda.
"Malta is unique in Europe in terms of mobile data access in the sense that we have full national coverage. Areas not covered by HSDPA are served by EDGE and GSM, with lower speeds but still providing internet access."
The rise in internet access over mobile has not affected traditional methods of communication such as voice and SMS, though in the last couple of years there has been a shift.
"Data traffic is not cannibalising SMS and voice traffic, through in recent months we have seen a shift from SMS to voice as a result of better voice rates. Data traffic is increasing and we have also invested in our mobile base stations which are not all connected to a fibre-optic network rather than a microwave link as a data backhaul," added Go's chief operations officer.
Go recently started offering data roaming in Libya and in-flight roaming on board flights of certain airlines. Go customers can now use their mobile phones when flying with airlines operated by both of its In-flight partners, OnAir and AeroMobile. The company hopes this service is eventually extended to Air Malta.