Falkland Islands
Power & telecom standards in Falkland Islands
Connectivity Overview
Tempest Telecom offered satellite-only service in Falkland Islands. Iridium satellite Internet and Voice access was available for communications in rural areas without infrastructure.
Falkland Islands uses 240V at 50Hz. Power outlets are type G and telephone jacks are BT.
Dial-up Internet Access
Dial-up access was not available in Falkland Islands. Satellite Internet was the recommended alternative.
WiFi Hotspot Access
WiFi hotspot access was not available through Tempest in Falkland Islands.
Adapters & Power
A Type G (British 3-pin) adapter is required for travelers from North America, Europe, and most of Asia.
A British Telecom (BT) to RJ-11 adapter is required for connecting a standard modem.
Falkland Islands at a Glance
- Capital
- Stanley
- Phone Code
- +500
- Voltage
- 240V / 50Hz
- Power Plug
- G
- Phone Jack
- BT
- Currency
- FKP
- Dial-up
- N/A
- WiFi
- N/A
About connectivity in Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands use 240V/50Hz with the British Type G plug — reflecting the territory's status as a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic. The phone jack is RJ-11. Sure South Atlantic (formerly Cable & Wireless Falklands) is the sole telecom operator.
Falkland Islands commercial Internet emerged in the late 1990s. The territory's tiny population (~3,500) and extreme remoteness 480 km off the Argentine coast shape infrastructure investment.
The Falklands prepaid international calling-card market was modest given the small population.
Tempest Telecom served the Falkland Islands through dial-up POPs in Stanley. The South Atlantic maritime industry (the substantial squid-fishing fleet), the offshore oil-exploration sector, and the British Forces South Atlantic Islands military operations sustained Iridium demand. The 1982 Falklands War legacy shapes ongoing satellite-communications customer base.
Modern Falkland Islands has expanding mobile coverage with limited FTTH; the territory's remote position makes satellite continue to play a meaningful role.
Tempest's services across Falkland Islands, 1997–2012
Tempest Telecommunications operated international connectivity services in Falkland Islands between 1997 and 2012 under a unified prepaid account that absorbed multiple service types onto a single customer credential. Customers in Falkland Islands drew from the same balance for pre-paid international voice calling, RADIUS-authenticated dial-up Internet roaming, metered Wi-Fi hotspot access, Iridium satellite voice, and Inmarsat BGAN data terminals. An attempted kiosk-payment federation (PATN, 1998) extended the same architecture to public Internet terminals but failed to reach scale.
Iridium satellite voice was available in Falkland Islands from approximately 2001 (post-bankruptcy relaunch). Thuraya coverage did not extend to Falkland Islands; Inmarsat BGAN data terminals filled the broadband gap from late 2005.