Caribbean Telecommunications Union Caribbean Broadband Review Connecting the next billion users Presented by Bernadette Lewis Secretary General Caribbean

Caribbean Telecommunications Union

Caribbean Broadband Review

Connecting the next billion usersPresented by

Bernadette Lewis Secretary General



• Established in 1989 in The Bahamas by Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ministers responsible for Telecommunications, to be the inter-governmental telecommunications policy instrument for the Caribbean

• 2003: Defined a new strategic direction to address issues of information and communications technologies

• 2004: Expanded Membership to include Private sector organisations

Introduction to the CTU

http://lacnic.net/en/eventos/lacnicxi/index.html


• Policy FormulationInternet Governance Spectrum ManagementOther areas in ICT

• Capacity DevelopmentCaribbean Centre of Excellence

• ICT Training Programmes • Technical Assistance• Caribbean ICT information

• RepresentationInternational Fora

• ITU, CITEL, ICANN, ARIN, LACNIC et al

CTU Activities



• Internet Governance• Spectrum Management Policy

Reform• Caribbean Centre of Excellence • Caribbean ICT Harmonisation• Connected Caribbean Initiative

CTU Projects



• Caribbean Characterised by diversity– Island and continental states– Countries among the richest and poorest– Different cultures and languages– Different stages of development

The Caribbean cannot be generalised

Caribbean Overview



• Pre-2000 Caribbean markets dominated by monopoly service providers – International facilities controlled by

dominant service providers– Non-existent or high cost broadband

service – Mainly commercial use of broadband

services– Low Internet penetration – dialup

services

Historical Perspective



• 2000 - Commencement of liberalisation of Caribbean markets.– Many licenses granted, new entrants

experienced challenges in setting up operations

– Network coverage improved– International facilities were still controlled

by dominant service providers– Slow development of truly competitive

markets

Early Stages of Liberalisation



Cost of Broadband 2005-2006COUNTRY TECHNOLOGY DOWN (Speed Kbps) UP US$/ MONTH

USA ADSL 768 128 15.00

Canada Cable 600 128 24.30

Canada ADSL 1,000 31.30

Antigua & Barbuda BWA 128 64 181.39

Bahamas Cable 1,000 256 10.70

Barbados ADSL 768 128 86.30

Belize ADSL 1025 256 265.00

Cayman Islands BWA 512 256 72.30

Dominican Republic ADSL 768 512 49.80

Grenada ADSL 512 128 73.00

Jamaica ADSL 256 128 55.00

St. Lucia ADSL 512 128 54.70

Trinidad & Tobago ADSL 256 64 72.55

Source: Assessment of the Telecommunication Services Sector in CARICOM Dr. Peter Stern - 2006



Cost of Broadband ~2005-2006

• High cost of Broadband– Slow uptake of Broadband Services

especially for residential service– Dial-up service limited meaningful access

to Internet and its potential



Overview of Regional Infrastructure

• Marine Fibre Systems– Eastern Caribbean Fiber System – Americas-1 and Americas-2 Consortia – Pan-Am, Maya-1 Consortia– Taino Caribe, CARAC et al– **Characterised by fragmentation

• Satellite systems– Typically high costs



Emergence of resilient integrated pan Caribbean systems providing more options for international connectivity

Regional Connectivity - Recent Systems

• Columbus Group• Global Caribbean

Network• Antilles Crossing



Impact on Cost of Broadband - 2008

CountryDownload

kbpsUploadkbps

2005/6US$/Month

2008US$/Month

Trinidad & Tobago512 128 77.00 21.00

Cayman Islands 512 256 70.80 29.95

Antigua & Barbuda 512 128 183.10 129.00

• Significant reductions in the cost of broadband

• Increased uptake of broadband services



Barriers to Access

• Access costs are decreasing. What other barriers exist?• Lack of Education and Public Awareness • Cost of Access Devices• Still some “last mile” challenges• Insufficient attention paid to the differently

abled (visually/physically challenged) indigenous peoples



Facilitating Connectivity• Governments

Implementing strategies to provide Universal Access to broadband facilities

– Jamaica & OECS– Universal Access Fund– Jamaica: Reduced rates for broadband in the licence

agreement– Trinidad/Tobago – FastForward: National ICT

Strategy– Antigua and Barbuda: Mobile cyber-café– Barbados: Educons – Various countries: Tele-centres, Libraries, Schools Removal of taxes on computers



Facilitating Connectivity

• OperatorsImplementing strategies to facilitate access– TSTT, Telesur, Cable and Wireless:Telecentres– Telesur:One Computer per child– Digicel: Pan Caribbean WiMAX personal broadband

service– Other: WiMAX deployment

• Private Sector/Civil Society– Providing equipment and training in institutions and

communities



Facilitating Connectivity• ITU: Connect the World/Connect the Americas

• CTU: Connected Caribbean Initiative1. Harmonisation of ICT policies, legislation and regulations2. Facilitate inter-working of regional governments3. Connect and strengthen organizations, communities and individuals

working on or in support of functional Caribbean Integration; 4. To provide a framework to foster development, integration and

expansion of regional stakeholder groups5. To support Caribbean Governments in achieving the MDGs

• CANTO: Connect the Caribbean Project1. To bridge major gaps in ICT infrastructure development

2. To develop relevant and affordable services and applications.



Thank You

The CTU is committed to


Documents

Caribbean Telecommunications Union Caribbean Broadband Review Connecting the next billion users Presented by Bernadette Lewis Secretary General Caribbean