The Broadband Internet Gap 1

Benefits of Broadband Internet: Narrowing the Digital Divide in the Caribbean By Jennifer Marron

Marketing & Communications Specialist WireIE Holdings International Inc. April 2010

The Broadband Internet Gap 2

Benefits of Broadband Internet: Narrowing the Digital Divide in the Caribbean By Jennifer Marron

Marketing & Communications Specialist

WireIE Holdings International Inc.

roadband is the key to experiencing

Internet services and the World Wide

Web as most of us in the developed world

currently do. Put simply, broadband has

become an expectation of both businesses

and citizens around much of the globe. No

longer are narrowband connections, phone

lines and 56K modems being used to

connect to the Internet, explore the web,

and interact with others. Instead, many of

today’s Internet experiences are

designed with the expectation that users

will access this rich content using

broadband.

Caribbean behind in Broadband

Currently, much of the Caribbean is not

capable of supporting the rich broadband

experience the rest of us take for

granted. Legacy networks and

infrastructure are preventing the

Caribbean from achieving its maximum

potential for business. It is time to

narrow the digital divide.

This divide is a result of social and

economic inequalities within and

between various countries, and it is

preventing residents of the Caribbean from

enjoying a better quality of life. Many areas

of the Caribbean are unable to access

broadband Internet, and so they are missing

out on the enormous capabilities afforded

by the World Wide Web.

Broadband Essential to Economy

It has also been proven that broadband

access improves Gross Domestic Product

B

The Broadband Internet Gap 3

(GDP) of countries that use it. Both the

quality of life and the economy of a region

improve when informed societies are able to

use broadband Internet, as it enables

increased productivity and information

sharing, among other benefits.

One of the greatest and

most obvious advantages

of broadband Internet is

the sheer speed of the

technology. Broadband

access is defined as an

Internet connection that

is capable of handling the

simultaneous

transmission of

sophisticated

applications. These connections are

exponentially faster than dial-up or

narrowband connections, and in some cases

can be up to 40 times as fast. This allows for

a richer web experience.

Broadband networks, supported by the

Internet Protocol (IP), have the capability to

transport any information or service we

usually associate with the web. Already,

broadband networks are widely considered

essential infrastructure for the global

information economy, providing businesses,

students and consumers with fast, ‘always-

on’ access to Internet-based services,

content and applications.

In fact, today’s web is designed around

broadband, which is needed in order to use

rich experiences such as Internet Protocol

Television (IPTV), high definition video, and

other multimedia resources. Today, IP has

become an adopted standard for all services

and applications on the web.

Broadband also provides more networking

capability than ‘traditional’ dial-up

connections. Wireless technologies can help

to greatly reduce the infrastructure costs for

sparsely populated, rural,

or remote areas. A primary

benefit of broadband is its

ability to expand economic

opportunities and

innovation, increase trade

and productivity, reduce

business costs, create jobs

and encourage foreign

investment.

Recently, quantitative

research and empirical analysis have

emerged to firmly establish the fact that

broadband networks support GDP growth in

developed nations and have the potential to

offer similar benefits in developing or

emerging markets. In short, broadband

provides the ability to create wealth.

A study by The United Nations Conference

on Trade and Development called

Information Economy Report 2006 found

that broadband directly boosts

competitiveness and productivity, and could

contribute hundreds of billions of dollars a

year to the GDP of developing countries in

upcoming years. According to the report,

broadband has become so vital to

companies, and society at large, that it is

being compared to ‘essential’ utilities such

as water and electricity.

Broadband can contribute hundreds of billions of dollars a

year to the GDP of developing countries

The Broadband Internet Gap 4

Furthermore, it has been shown that

countries with rudimentary

telecommunications systems generally find

themselves at a lower level of economic

development. The report states, “Broadband

increases the capacity of enterprises to

engage in more sophisticated e-business

processes and deliver through the Internet,

thus maximizing the benefits of Information

Communication Technologies (ICT’s)”.

Broadband permits companies to engage in

more sophisticated e-business processes, as

well as delivering a greater range of

products and services.

Caribbean needs Broadband to

compete globally

Broadband Internet

access will narrow the

digital divide and enable

Caribbean enterprises to

become more

competitive with the rest

of the business world on

a global scale. Broadband

realizes the potential

business productivity to

be gained

from e-commerce, improved retail efficiency

through e-business web services, enhanced

supply co-ordination and management

efficiency, as well as the cost-saving benefits

of telecommuting, among others.

Broadband also aids in accelerating

productivity growth, which is essential for

higher income and generating new

employment opportunities, and boosting

service exports through foreign affiliates. It

offers regions the ability to boost economic

opportunities through increased trade and

productivity, reduced costs, job creation,

and greater foreign investment.

Of course, broadband also provides a better

quality of life for people who can access it.

Individuals have greater access to health

care and education through improved

Internet access. Students are introduced to

the technology necessary to succeed in the

global economy, today and in the future.

Governments in the Caribbean need support

to implement and harness broadband

networks as essential infrastructure.

Broadband networks bring more citizens and

businesses from rural and

remote areas into the

formal economy of a

nation, and in fact, the

world. Social issues such as

health and education gain

a platform through

broadband—for example,

voices can be heard

through rich media such as

social media websites,

blogs and online video.

Broadband will also allow for the growth of a

sense of community, as regions of the

Caribbean that are now geographically

remote or rural become exposed to

technology. The spread of broadband

networks allows for an informed society and

improves the quality of life for all,

economically and socially.

Broadband will improve living

standards in the Caribbean

The Broadband Internet Gap 5

Without question, broadband will improve

living standards in the Caribbean. New and

efficient technologies have the capacity to

facilitate changes in economic structures for

the positive—economies of scale push

infrastructure costs down. The Internet is

the most empowering communication tool

ever devised, and fortunately, the cost of

broadband technologies continues to

decrease.

WireIE Solution

Today, broadband connectivity can be

provided to remote regions using a

combination of backhaul and last-mile

networks. WiMAX and Wi-Fi technologies

can reach remote regions and can be rolled

out faster than wired solutions, as well as

offering portability and mobility. WireIE can

add value to both carriers and governments.

We offer turnkey solutions in the design,

deployment and, where appropriate,

management of public and private

broadband networks. WireIE is a global

leader in providing professional services and

innovative solutions, including migrating

legacy networks to the next generation, and

creating new networks based on Next

Generation broadband solutions.

To comment on this article, please visit

WireIE’s blog at

http://www.wireie.com/blog.

The Broadband Internet Gap 6

What can we do for you? At WireIE, we have the expertise to identify and understand your unique challenges. We have

the knowledge, experience and resources to create, build, deploy and maintain the latest in

wireless network solutions. We are the industry's brightest and best and we're prepared to

ensure success in your Next Generation Network solution. Let's start the conversation.

Rob Barlow President and CEO WireIE rob.barlow@wireie.com Tel: +1.905.882.4660 Fax: +1.905.882.0223 www.WireIE.com

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