TECHNOLOGY PLAYS AN important role in the development of a country. Barbados is no different.
Information and communications technology (ICT) is seen as a way in which small countries can level the playing field, or try to, when competing with larger and more economically powerful nations.
This became evident with the liberalisation of Barbados’ telecommunications sector, and the current proliferation of mobile devices. Development of infrastructure and expansion of services provided by the two main competitors in the domestic market has benefited the society and economy, especially in the last decade.
It has also helped Barbados’ ability to attract investment, since access to the latest telecommunications services at competitive prices is a key ingredient for foreign investors looking to do business.
Late last year at a CARICOM meeting, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Senator Darcy Boyce, emphasised the important role ICT can play in regional integration and economic development.
Boyce, who was president of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), said Barbados and its neighbours were too small and limited in resources to compete individually and achieve desirable results in the ICT sector.
“Together, however, through close collaboration, we are and can be even better positioned to implement the policies and practices that will lead to the desired outcomes,” he said.
“We want to use ICT and other appropriate technologies to leverage and deepen the region’s resources, through high-speed ICT networks, trained human resources and enhanced processes in order to add social and economic value.”
Boyce said almost every service sector in Caribbean economies could become better through the use of ICTs. This included tourism, education, trade and commerce, health services, public transport, immigration, energy, water and waste management and e-government.
International technology company Nebula Solutions recently said 2017 was likely to display several telecommunications that countries like Barbados should pay attention to.
“Telecommunication technology can play a significant role in business growth. Changes in the industry and accessibility of these technologies can impact the way that your employees communicate and collaborate with each other and your consumers.”
Nebula said the Internet of Things (IoT) would continue to impact the telecommunications industry.
“With a sharp increase in connected devices and even more predicted to appear globally by 2020, there has been a significant amount of growth in the volume of data that needs to be transferred and processed.”
It also predicted that 5G development would continue to increase, adding, “5G has the potential to change the way that other industries like energy deliver services to the public”.
“With higher speeds and capacity as well as lower latency than existing cellular systems, 5G has the potential to change the way that businesses and consumers communicate. In 2017, we may see the first commercial offerings of this powerful advancement in the telecom industry.”
Speaking recently at an ICT Week symposium in Antigua and Barbuda, Caribbean Telecommunications Union Secretary General Bernadette Lewis urged regional policymakers to examine the potential impact of ICT on development.
“ICT are cross-cutting, enabling tools. It is imperative therefore that policymakers from all sectors collectively examine the impact of ICT on the development of their respective sectors,” she said.
Australian telecommunications consultancy firm BuddeComm believes there are positive signs for telecommunications development in the region.
“The telecoms markets in most Caribbean countries have been progressively liberalised, with operators in these markets able to offer a full range of telecom services. The telecom sector remains one of the Caribbean region’s major growth sectors, particularly in the mobile telephony and data segments.”
However, it added: “Investment in telecoms was for several years affected by the global financial crisis, which led to reduced revenue for operators, scaled-back government programmes and a weakened tourist sector.”
