An update of fixed-line, mobile/cellular and fixed-broadband Internet take up across select Caribbean countries, as of 2016.

 

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has released the latest telecoms statistics for countries worldwide, as at 2016. Consistent with our practice since 2011, we examine the state of development of telecoms – in terms of subscriptions density – across the Caribbean.

Approach

The results presented have been drawn from data published by the ITU and comprised an examination of the following for countries across the Caribbean:

  • density of fixed-line telephony subscriptions
  • density of fixed broadband Internet subscriptions
  • density of mobile/cellular telephony subscriptions.

This year, only 18 countries were examined, as listed in Table1, based on the data that is publicly available.

Table 1: List of countries surveyed for 2016 update on state of telecoms in the Caribbean (Source: ICT Pulse)

As per usual, it is emphasised that the ITU depends on either the government or the telecoms firms to supply the data that is eventually published. Accordingly, it is not clear the extent to which ITU seeks to corroborate or otherwise validate the data it published, and neither have any explanations been given for any anomalies that might be evident.

The subscription densities for the countries examined are presented those countries’ per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which has been used as a proxy for per capita Gross National Income (GNI), due to the unavailability of GNI data for the year 2016. GDP/GNI provide an indication of a country’s the level of development, based on the average income of its citizens, and consequently their likely wealth to support the take-up and use of telecoms services examined.

Results: Fixed-line telephony market

Across the Caribbean, there continues to be a wide disparity in fixed-line telephone subscription densities across the 18 countries examined. The highest subscriber densities were reported in the Cayman Islands, at approximately 56 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants; followed by Barbados, with nearly 56 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Fixed-line telephone penetration in select Caribbean countries as at 2016 (Source: ITU, IMF, UN)

At the other end of the spectrum, the lowest fixed-line telephony subscriber density was reported in Haiti, at approximately 5 subscriptions per 10,000 inhabitants (not per 100); Belize, at about 6 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants; and Jamaica, with nearly 11 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.

Results: Mobile/cellular market

With respect to mobile/cellular subscription density, over half of the countries examined (55%) still reported mobile/cellular subscriptions densities over 100 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, as reflected in Table 2. The highest subscription density was found in Antigua and Barbuda, at approximately 194 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Antigua and Barbuda was followed by Trinidad and Tobago, at nearly 161 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, and the Cayman Islands, at approximately 158 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.

Figure 2: Mobile/cellular penetration in select Caribbean countries as at 2016 (Source: ITU, INF, UN)

The lowest mobile/cellular subscriptions densities were recorded in Cuba, at nearly 36 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Haiti has the second lowest among the countries examined, at nearly 61 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, followed by Belize, with approximately 64 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

Results: Fixed broadband Internet market

With respect to fixed broadband Internet subscriptions, the highest subscription density was recorded in the Cayman Islands at nearly 40 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, as shown in Figure 3. The next highest fixed broadband Internet subscription density was recorded in Barbados, at around 30 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, followed by Saint Kitts and Nevis, at approximately 29 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.

Figure 3: Fixed broadband subscription densities in select Caribbean countries as at 2016 (Source: ITU, IMF, UN)

Conversely, the lowest fixed broadband Internet subscription density was reported in Haiti, with around 1 subscriptions per 10,000 inhabitants. Haiti was followed by Cuba, with 13 subscriptions per 10,000 (not 100!) inhabitants, and thereafter, Belize, with around 6 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.

Results: Region-wide trends

Finally, Figure 4 shows the subscription density trends across the Caribbean over the past eight years, from 2009 to 2016, for fixed-line telephony, mobile/cellular and fixed broadband Internet service.

Figure 5: Averaged fixed-line telephony, mobile/cellular and fixed broadband Internet subscription densities across the Caribbean from 2008—2016 (Source: ITU)

The density of mobile/cellular subscriptions continues to outstrip considerably those for fixed-line telephony and fixed broadband Internet. However, interestingly, there was decline in subscription densities for mobile/cellular and fixed broadband Internet between 2015 and 2016, whilst the fixed-line telephony segment experienced marginal growth.

The decline in in subscription densities for mobile/cellular and fixed broadband Internet could be attributed to a broad range of causes. For example, fewer countries have mobile/cellular subscription densities of over 100 subscription per 100 inhabitants, and for those that do, their figures are dropping, as the disparity between on-network and off-network calling rates continue to drop, and as mobile number portability is rolled out across the region. Further, and with regard to fixed-broadband Internet, it may be a case of substitution, with mobile/cellular data, which increasingly is becoming more cost effective, and is also available as a prepaid service.

 

Image credit:  Wil C. Fry (flickr)

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