CONNECT THE CARIBBEAN

A Way ForwardCANTO 24th Annual Conference

Nassau, Bahamas

Presented ByDr Ekwow Spio-GarbrahChief Executive Officer, CTO

• Globally, ICT spending is estimated at US$3 Trillion

• Growing at an average of 8.9% per annum

• Representing 6.8% of Global GDP.

• ICT Growth has to be a part of a strategic plan which drives an economy

• Essential part of Global Market Participation.

ICT’s Economic Importance

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

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Ave

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Germ

any

Fran

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% ICT Contribution to GDP

Ireland

Finland

US

Jamaica

EU Average

Germany

France

Italy

Denmark

ICTs for the Public Interest

• ICTs are integral for empowering citizens, promoting economic growth and even saving lives– Universal Access – connectivity for all – E-Government Services

o G2G, G2B & G2C - Social serviceso Online tools for business community

– Disaster Responseo Meteorological, geological monitoringo Early warning systems are vital, and the rapid deployment of

robust systems after the event saves lives• Innovation and NGNs

– Meeting the growing demand for essential ICT services– Encouraging industry innovation

Creating an Enabling Environment• Policy and Regulatory Harmonization

– Harmonization of policies and regulations in the region– Spectrum policy, Competition

• Building Infrastructure – Capacity, now and in the future– Infrastructure development - optimum approach– Wired & Wireless technologies – Facilitating Investments

• Human Capacity Building and Training

Addressing Policy & Regulation

• Harmonization of Telecommunication Regulation

• Harmonization of Electronic Transaction Act

• Spectrum Policy (speed, capacity, price, etc)

• Competition Policy

• Last Mile Issues wired and wireless– Undersea optical-fibre cable, terrestrial wireless and satellite links

• Creating inward investment environment

Focus on Rural Connectivity

• Despite major ICT advances, 70%-plus of Commonwealth developing countries unconnected, mostly rural communities including Small Island States (SIDs)

• CTO is focused on this segment for special support

• Conferences on Connecting Rural Communities for Africa and Asia regurlarly being held

• Commonwealth African Rural Connectivity Initiative launched (COMARCI), and Phase I Completed, Phase II underway – Identification of 10 pilots – best practices for replication

• Commonwealth Universal Access/ Service Funds Forum – CTO facilitating formation of Commonwealth Association

Policy / Regulatory Framework

• Convergence & technology-neutral Licensing• Fair and optimal frequency allocation/management• Addressing significant market power issues (SMP) and

promoting fair competition• Maintaining open and competitive markets in infrastructure

and services, including Open Access Networks• Encouraging PPP innovation and long-term investment• Removing barriers to the development of emerging markets• Ensuring proportionality to regulation, including

forbearance• Ensuring the optimal balance in spectrum management• Ensuring Consumer protection and QoS • Funding/role challenges for PSBs and community radios

Addressing Infrastructure Needs

• Capacity and bandwidth needs

• Infrastructure development

• Wired and wireless– Undersea optical-fibre cable, terrestrial wireless and satellite links

• Ensuring redundancy and resiliency as networks converge

• Looking ahead to anticipate future demand and requirements

• Facilitating Investments through Public-Private Partnership – Creating Regional Body and working with Caribbean development bank

to bring about low cost regional fibre network similar to NEPAD Africa e-commission with group of 22 African countries

– CTO can help to facilitate a Regional protocol for the Caribbean countries to bring this about

Connectivity Delivery Modes

Wir

elin

e W

irel

ess

CableModem

DSL FiberPowerLine

FixedWireless

Satellite3G

CellularWireless

LAN

Caribbean Fibre Connectivity

In the Caribbean: businesses and households have fixed, mobile, broadband connection which can be satellite, cable, DSL, WiFi, or WiMax, and Blackberrys

• Most Caribbean countries still have a duopoly which requires as much regulation on monopolies.

• The demand elasticity and the economics of the benefits of new networks must be clearly understood and where competition policy needs to be applied.

• Wholesale and Interconnection regulations and prices have to be controlled by the regulators reflecting the correct price.

• Ultimately we have to get the regulations right to complement it with a business environment and an enlightened highly skilled human resources

Caribbean Connectivity Issues

Enhancing Human Capacity

• Public consultation on regulatory reform held to encourage citizen understanding and participation

• Citizen technology education – taking advantage of ICTs

• Industry training initiatives – equipping the workforce for the information society

• Faciliting local investment for national incubators programme

• CTO as a Development Partner – through its programme of development and training (PDT) as well as exchange of knowledge and experiences through CTO’s international events

Developing National e-Government operations

• E- Development Initiative– E-Customs (on line filing)– E-Taxation (on line filing)– E-Budget Preparation– Gov e-mail services– Gov. Web Portal – E-Civil Registry– E-Business Registry– E-Land Registry– E-Procurement– E-Agricultural Depots– E-Commerce– E-Education– E-Health

• Enhanced Cellular• Music Downloads• Best Practice VoIP• IPTV• Satellite • Web 2.0

Developing for e-Business Services

Conclusion• Need for convergence in Policy, Regulation,

Operations and Technology driven partly by consumers

• Privatisation, competition lowering prices• New market entrants, consolidation, standardisation

promoting wider choices• Content development, social networks, mobile,

Internet and rural comms brings all closer• CTO and CANTO should strengthen collaboration• CTO can facilitate Regional backbone development

to bring about Universal Access to broadband for all

THANK YOU

Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah CEO, CTO www.cto.int

London, UK