The two previous OpenFalklands posts examined the importance of the 2-year notice period for ending the existing exclusive telecommunications licence and the potential impact of delaying such notice. This post argues that FIG now faces a clear choice between genuine structural reform and the comfort of familiar ground, and makes the case that only the former will deliver what islanders actually need.
In July 2025, OpenFalklands published a substantive discussion of alternative telecommunications models for the Falkland Islands following the expiry of Sure’s exclusive licence. That post concluded cautiously but optimistically that FIG understood the urgency and that Cambridge Management Consulting’s (CMC) process could deliver a clear way forward for the Falkland Islands Government (FIG). Two further posts in October 2025 developed OpenFalkland’s preferred model in detail, concluding that a ‘FIG Owned Outsourced Operator’ model offered the best combination of public control, professional expertise and genuine retail competition.
That early optimism now deserves to be tested against what has actually happened since.
Sure’s CEO Has Shifted the Debate
A significant development since those posts was Sure’s Group Chief Executive Officer visiting the Falkland Islands in April 2026 and publicly endorsing the concept of public-private partnership for telecommunications infrastructure. He made clear that Sure is not seeking another ten-year licence on the same terms as before. He acknowledged the need for review mechanisms and competitive checks, and confirmed that Sure is in active discussions with Starlink, Amazon Kuiper and AST SpaceMobile.
In effect, the incumbent operator is now publicly describing something close to the model OpenFalklands and others have advocated. The gap between reform advocates and the existing incumbent operator has narrowed considerably and perhaps unexpectedly.
The Work Has Already Been Done
FIG is not operating in the dark. The CMC Phase 2 report, including a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) process that I believe generated genuine commercial interest from operators worldwide, has been completed. The market has been tested, and the strategic options are known.
The central question is no longer whether alternatives exist, but whether FIG will act in time to implement one.
Reform or the Comfort of Familiar Ground?
Some within government may see the simplest and most risk-free route as negotiating a renewed arrangement with Sure on improved terms rather than pursuing structural reform. That approach would avoid the complexity and institutional risk of creating a new operating model while allowing FIG to present continuity as reform.
This instinct is understandable. The 2017 licence process demonstrated how institutional caution tends to favour familiar arrangements over structural change. Yet the very reason the CMC Phase 1 and Phase 2 PME processes were commissioned by FIG was that reliance on incremental reform had failed to deliver the outcomes islanders wanted.
Community sentiment on this issue is strong. The Starlink petition was not simply a call for faster broadband; it reflected frustration with a decade of monopoly provision. It can be taken as a given that feedback gathered during the CMC process consistently indicated dissatisfaction with pricing, service quality, and accountability. Newly elected MLAs are well aware of that public mood. The community they represent has been clear about what it wants – not a repeat of the past, but a genuine fresh start. That mandate deserves to be heard.
Sure’s leadership adopted a more constructive tone during its April 2026 visit, and that deserves recognition. But goodwill alone is not a substitute for durable structural incentives. Without genuine competition or enforceable oversight, any commitments made today remain dependent on future corporate priorities.
Renewing the existing arrangement without meaningful structural change would therefore be a conscious decision to prioritise familiarity over long-term resilience and competition.
The Window for Action Is Narrowing
The telecommunications licence expires on 31 December 2027. The two-year notice period has been open since January 2026. Every month without a clear decision shortens the implementation timetable, increases transition risk, cost and adds to the infrastructure backlog.
Without clarity on the future framework, Sure has limited commercial incentive to make major long-term investments in ageing infrastructure. Delay, therefore, carries a direct cost in service quality, resilience, and public confidence.
What Needs to Happen Next
FIG should publish a clear timetable for the post-2027 framework, including:
- When will formal notice be given?
- When will public consultation begin?
- When will the operator selection process launch?
MLAs should also treat telecommunications reform as a strategic priority, given that decisions made over the next year will shape the Islands’ digital infrastructure for the next decade.
The community, meanwhile, should continue to engage publicly. The Starlink petition demonstrated that informed public pressure can influence the debate.
The Opportunity Remains
The Falklands still have an opportunity to move from a decades-old monopoly structure to a modern and competitive public-private model. Everything needed to make that transition is in place: the analysis, the market interest, the community mandate, and even a more constructive posture from the incumbent. What happens next depends entirely on whether FIG chooses to lead that transition or simply allow events to determine its outcome.
Chris Gare, OpenFalklands, May 2026, copyright OpenFalklands
