Walesi has refuted and clarified claims made in a newspaper article by Opposition MP Lenora Qereqeretabua.

It says yesterday’s Fiji Times Newspaper article about the Walesi TV Platform and the Education Channel is factually misleading, incorrect and without verification.

Walesi highlighted that the article incorrectly refers to the WALESI TV Distribution Device as the WALESI SET UP BOX.

It has clarified that there is no TV distribution device provided by WALESI called WALESI SET UP BOX adding that WALESI TV distribution device is called the WALESI SET TOP BOX.

Walesi says the article quotes Opposition MP Lenora Qereqeretabua as having claimed that the cost of a Walesi Set Top Box is $149

It says that this is incorrect as the maximum retail price of a Walesi Set Top Box is $99 adding that article also fails to acknowledge the Fiji Government Subsidy Scheme.

To provide greater accessibility to all Fijians, Walesi explains that the Minister of Communication, Aiyaz Sayed-Khiayum launched the Walesi Set Top Box Subsidy scheme in 2016 and that the scheme subsidizes free Walesi Set Top Box to any household which has a joint income under $30,000.

Walesi also highlighted that as of today, the Fijian Government Subsidy Scheme has benefited 109,761 Fijians who now have access to Walesi Services through their Free Walesi Set Top Box.

In total, 134,797 Walesi Set Top Boxes have been issued to Fijians across the country.

Walesi says the Newspaper and the Member of Parliament also fail to mention the other mediums to access Walesi Services as its services can also be accessed through the Walesi Mobile Device App and the Walesi Satellite Service.

Walesi has 450,499 downloads of their app and this gives their users full accessibility to all channels including the education channel.

It has 711 Satellite installations across the country with the majority of these installations in maritime areas where previously no TV transmission was available.

Walesi services can also be accessed through their Customer Care Centres in Suva, Sigatoka, Lautoka, Ba, Rakiraki, Labasa and Savusavu and it has a toll free Customer Care line 1525 which provides customer and technical support.

Walesi strongly refutes the erroneous claims made by the newspaper and the Member of Parliament regarding Walesi service accessibility, the cost of Set Top Boxes and options to acquire Walesi Set Top Boxes.

It should also be noted that the newspaper nor the Member of Parliament bothered to contact Walesi to ascertain the facts.