Digicel Tonga’s technical team working on satellite link equipment to restore internet connection Photo: Digicel Tonga
Nearly a third of Tonga's population still has no internet and is unlikely to have access until mid-August.
Work on damaged cables in two of the Kingdom's outlying islands was delayed after a special repair vessel broke down in Fiji.
There has been little service in the popular islands of Ha'apai and Vava'u since an apparent earthquake on June 29th.
The government has granted a provisional temporary permit to Starlink to operate for a six-month period.
However, it is not yet available to new customers in Tonga and only a few could afford it apart from businesses.
RNZ Pacific's Margot Staunton spoke to the acting communications director, Stan Ahio, about the issue.
The repair vessel is due to arrive in Tongan waters in just over a week.
Nuku'alofa, due to host the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' summit on August 26th - has had no internet issues.
About a 1000 or so guests will spend a night in Vava'u at a hotel that already has Starlink
