About PTI
Micronesian Telecommunications Corporation (MTC) was purchased from Kentron International by GTE in 1981. At that time, local service was provided on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. A 14-mile microwave radio link connected Saipan and Tinian only. The local investment consisted of aerial cable and electromechanical switches. The system was noisy, had limited capabilities, and was very susceptible to outages during typhoons.
It was usually easier to drive to a business or friend's location than it was to call the 500 customers subscribing to telephone service. All off-island calls were handled manually by operators. But it sometimes took several minutes just to get a dial tone. The operator often had to wait for an available overseas circuit, then call back to make the connection.
To improve the reliability and clarity of connections, MTC began engineering a new system in 1981. This also enabled MTC to offer modern telephone services such as call waiting and call forwarding.
By early 1986, there were 2,000 local telephone subscribers throughout the CNMI, and telephone numbers grew to seven digits from the original four digits. MTC's work force totaled 53 employees. Phone cables on Tinian, Saipan, and Rota were buried underground to protect them from the weather. The main switches were set up to operate independently so that each island's telephone system remains fully operational even if links between the other islands are interrupted. Microwave towers with the ability to withstand winds up to 150 miles per hour linked all three islands with Guam, and direct dial long distance service was offered via satellite.
Since 1986, MTC has expanded and modernized its switching centers (central offices) and cable systems on all islands, enhancing the telephone network. In 1990, MTC doubled the inter-island microwave radio capacity to handle the growing volume of calls between Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. Digital satellite service was introduced to improve call clarity and provide high-speed data capabilities.
In 1991, MTC introduced cellular service for the island of Saipan. In 1992, international 800 service was initiated. In 1993, MTC converted to Equal Access for international long-distance calling.
Another landmark was achieved in 1997 with the completion of the first undersea fiber opetic cable to link the main islands of the Northern Marianas to the Trans-Pacific cable hub in Guam. The new cable replaced the overloaded inter-island microwave system. The $14-million project tied CNMI callers into the global fiber network and opened up new possibilities for advanced services that work best with fiber technology, such as distance learning, telemedicine, video converencing, and high-speed Internet access.
Also in 1997, Micronesian Tel established a subsidiary corporation, GTE Pacifica, to sell long distance services and all deregulated products and services (primarily business phone systems, Internet access, and cellular service). GTE Pacifica began operations first on Guam, and subsequently in the CNMI by the beginning of 1998.
In early 2000, MTC had over 22,000 lines in service in the CNMI. MTC customers enjoyed a 100% digital switching system and a full range of modern telecommunications services in addition to local, inter-island, and long-distance calling. These include digital cellular services, prepaid phone cards, long distance, Internet, state of the art business telephone systems and equipment, telecommunications relay service, custom calling features, voice mail, data communications, and CentraNet® Services.
Also in 2000, MTC began doing business as Verizon Micronesia and Verizon Pacifica. Under Verizon, the company introduced it’s state of the art CDMA Cellular network, DSL and other business and residential solutions.
On September 20, 2005, MTC was bought by Prospector Holdings of the Philippines based Delgado family. Prospector Holdings chose to retain the name Micronesian Telecommunications Corporation but the business in the CNMI & Guam uses the name PTI.
In 2006, a partnership with Sumitomo Corporation one of Japan’s largest corporation invested in PTI as a long term strategic partner. Under PTI, the Company has completed the installation of our Microwave System from Saipan – Tinian – Rota, which provided an alternate route for our traffic in the event the undersea fiber optic is damaged. Plans are currently underway to extend the Microwave System to Guam.
PTI has CDMA cellular roaming to the U.S., Guam, and the Philippines while cellular subscribers from US, Japan and South Korea can roam in the CNMI. In 2007, PTI installed a GSM Network and is currently working on roaming agreements for our GSM Network. Also in 2007, PTI acquired Yellow Pages Ink, a telephone directory service which covers the CNMI and Guam. Through all the changes in ownership, we are still Micronesian Telecommunications Corporation, the leading telecommunications company in Micronesia.
The future is bright as PTI continuously looks to expand throughout the Pacific and beyond.
|
|
|
