A newcomer to the telecommunications sector in Barbados – Karib Cable – is promising more robust competition with a view to quickly capturing at least 50 per cent market share.
Karib Cable offers cable television, broadband Internet connectivity, and fixed-line telephone services through the use of fibre optics. Karib Cable is expected to employ over 200 Barbadians when it starts activating customers in the next 12 to 16 weeks.
There are three other major players in this sector, two of which also offer mobile services.
“Karib Cable has the financial, operational and technical capability as well as the regional presence to compete in the local telecommunications markets in a meaningful manner. We will show this through the provision of improved service offerings to the island, and better value for money to the people of Barbados,” said Kelly Glass, managing director and founder of the company.
He was speaking during the launch in Barbados at the Courtyard By Marriott last Tuesday. Karib Cable currently operates in seven countries, including St Lucia, Antigua, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
“In St Lucia we are comfortably over the 50 per cent [market share]. We are the major provider of Internet. There is room for two providers on the cable TV side of things [in Barbados]. . . . I think we will try to get to 50 per cent or better. We will be competing in all three services: Internet, cable and, of course, telephony,” he said.
Declining to say what their prices would be, Glass said: “We have to come with a good price. They will be competitive to extremely competitive. The product here is going to be a lot more cutting-edge,” he said.
Meanwhile, general manager Oliver Haynes told the briefing that “Karib Cable is investing $65 million in our local operations and this kind of technology, which is second to none in all the Americas, will certainly assist in attracting foreign investment to our island”.
Government minister with responsibility for telecommunication Senator Darcy Boyce welcomed the new company, challenging them to bring stiffer competition with higher quality, cheaper prices and greater efficiency. (MM)
