Fortinet partners with Telecom Niue to increase network security

Fortinet has provided the island nation of Niue with a range of cybersecurity solutions in an effort to increase network communications among residents.

The company says that it endeavours to continue to make the solutions cost-effective and easily manageable, working closely with Telecom Niue to implement upgrades.

Telecom Niue were in the process of looking for modern solutions that were standardised on a single vendor and could be easily managed, due to the heavy reliance by the government and public services, including the schools, hospital, and airport.

They reached out to Fortinet following a tender process, as they felt the company's services could meet the ever-growing demands that challenge the nation.

Fortinet is currently providing Telecom Niue with networking devices and firewalls, as well as professional services. After six months of extensive testing, the solution was rolled out, and Telecom Niue has reportedly experienced no issues since then.

Telecom Niue CIO Roy Pavihi says that the company always had a goal of centralised security, and the partnership with Fortinet will help the islands communication strategy in the long term.

"For a long time, Telecom Niue was looking for a way to control the networking and security from a central location and now we have that with the Fortinet Security Fabric. It's extremely convenient to have everything standardised on Fortinet solutions.

"One of the biggest benefits has been that the team doesn't have to physically be present to resolve issues, which saves on travel time. Instead, the team can manage the network with the click of a mouse or a few buttons on the keyboard," he says.

Pavihi also believes that previously gained trust in Fortinet is paramount to a successful future, as the company previously provided services to help the nation in 2020.

"The solution has been proven to work; in late 2020 a malware attack was launched against Niue and the Fortinet security solution protected the island. It was clear that, if this technology had not been in place, the island would have been hit by that attack. This saved a lot in terms of cost and a potential data breach because the attack was halted before it reached the network.

Fortinet regional director Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands Jon McGettigan says that he is proud the company can make a positive impact on the people of Niue,

"Fortinet is proud to work with Telecom Niue to protect the island and its people from the ever-present threat of security breaches. Delivering fast connectivity is essential to keeping Niueans in contact with each other and the rest of the world.

He says that it will help further progress effective solutions going forward, and simplify working processes network advancements for all involved.

"The Fortinet Security Fabric is designed to reduce complexity for organisations while delivering exceptional security. It removes the need for organisations to deploy multiple point solutions to solve specific security challenges by creating a raft of interlocking security solutions that work together seamlessly to protect the business," he says.

"Fast connectivity can also open the door to malicious actors, so it was crucial for Telecom Niue to complement its network upgrades with a strong security solution. We look forward to continuing to support Telecom Niue as it connects and protects the island of Niue into the future.