The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) is embarking on an ambitious plan to roll out a national broadband network costing some US$237 million.

Science, Energy and Technology Minister Daryl Vaz, who made the announcement in Parliament this afternoon, declared that when completed all homes in Jamaica will be equipped with broadband services.

Vaz told members of parliament that, “this Government will make access to the Internet a public good. The aim is to have every household, every community, connected by 2025.”

He reported that the funding options for the setting up of the national broadband network are being explored, noting that the country can ill-afford to delay or abandon this strategy. The minister listed the clear objectives of the National Broadband Initiative, which is to achieve universal access, boost adoption and usage, improve quality and coverage of key services such as health and education and, more broadly, public services.

Imperatives of the National Broadband Network

He added that the initiative seeks to guarantee affordability, promote entrepreneurship and local content creation, create new business models, boost ICT exports and increase competitiveness. According to the minister, “the success of the National Broadband Initiative will require public-private partnerships, improvement in various types of infrastructure such as telecommunication and electricity and greater coordination in the deployment of public utility services”.

He added: “With respect to public utility services, these critical infrastructures are located within the public rights of way, namely sidewalks and roadways.”

Unfortunately, there is no policy or legislative framework governing the use of public rights of way.

Fast tracking use of public rights of way policy

Vaz told the House of Representatives that his ministry, along with the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, would be working together to fast track the policy and legislative frameworks for the management and use of public rights of way. In addition, there is the requirement for the strengthening of the broader policy framework to support the National Broadband Initiative.

In this regard, the government is far advanced in drafting a Spectrum Pricing Policy to support greater access to spectrum at prices that will promote innovation and use of this scarce resource.

Vaz added that work is also progressing on the development of Infrastructure Sharing Rules led by the Office of Utilities Regulation with support from the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology to regulate and manage greater access to existing and future telecommunications infrastructure.

Progress is also being made in developing Quality of Service Standard Rules to prescribe the minimum targets to be achieved and sustained by telecommunications providers in respect of various technical and customer service quality parameters.

Thousands of Jamaicans to get jobs from roll out

He made the point that this plan will also bring in many jobs for Jamaican.

“Bridging the broadband penetration gap is expected to generate more than 95,000 direct jobs and will bring Jamaica in line with Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries,” Vaz said.

Vaz pointed to an IDB econometric model specific to Latin American and Caribbean countries, which demonstrates that, on average, countries that increase broadband penetration by 10 per cent have associated increases of 3.2 per cent per capita GDP and 2.6 per cent increase in productivity.

The minister contended that the single most critical imperative that is facing Jamaica as a country is to expand broadband coverage across the hills and valleys of the island. This, he stated, will form the backbone of the country’s recovery and provide the best possible opportunity for sustainable growth.