Caribbean telecoms and ICT carriers and service providers are crucial players in individual countries, and the region as a whole, realising the benefits of being Information Societies and digital economies. However, over the years, there have been some contentious issues, which have not been fully resolved, but neither might we be clear on basis of the positions taken by regional telecoms and ICT operators. Teresa Wankins, Secretary General of CANTO, provides some insight into the views and positions of CANTO and its members on matters, including net neutrality, OTT services, disaster risk management, and the future of telecoms in the region.

 

This episode is also available in Apple iTunes and on Stitcher!

At times, the regulation of telecoms and ICT has been very contentious across the Caribbean region. There may be several conflicting sides to an issue, for example: that of policymakers; regulators; telecoms/ICT carriers and service providers; the business community; and the individual consumer at large.

Frequently, much of the discourse boils down to rhetoric and emotion by many sides. The telecoms carriers and service providers are usually perceived as the bad guys that seek to oppress consumers. However, as we have discussed in previous articles, here on ICT Pulse, the policy or regulatory framework to effect a government’s desired position tends to be absent, and so the basis to demand compliance on a particular issue might not truly exist.

We thus thought it useful – without the noise and excitement – for us to try to get a clearer understanding of what might be the views and position of telecoms/ICT carriers and service providers across the region on a broad range of issues, including network (net) neutrality, Over the Top (OTT) services, and Community Networks. Truth be told, a few of these topics have been in contention since before ICT Pulse was launched, and still have not been decisively resolved.

Teresa Wankin,
Secretary General, CANTO

In this podcast episode, we speak with Teresa Wankin, the Secretary General of the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organisations (CANTO), which represents the needs and interest of telecoms and ICT operators, organisations, companies and individuals in the Caribbean region. Further, and with reportedly over 90% of Caribbean telecoms and ICT operators as members of CANTO, the position it takes on telecoms and ICT issues can have a far-reaching impact on consumers across the region.

In our conversation with Teresa, our discussion covered areas including:

  1. How CANTO develops and adopts its policy position on important issues
  2. CANTO’s view on net neutrality
  3. CANTO’s view on OTT services
  4. Useful takeaways to the region from the Federal Communications Commission Chairman’s talk at CANTO’s recently held Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition
  5. Whether CANTO supports the efforts across the region to establish Community Networks, particularly in areas that are still underserved by the local telecoms companies
  6. CANTO’s and its members’ views on disaster risk management and infrastructure resiliency, and what might be some of the efforts being made to better address the region’s vulnerability to various hazards and disasters
  7. The reason why the theme, “Transitioning to a Digital Region – Opportunities and Threats”, was selected for CANTO’s upcoming AGM in January 2019, and what Teresa thinks a digital region should look like.

 

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

 

Select Links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

 

 

Image credits:  panumas nikhomkhai (Pexels); CANTO

Music credit:  Ray Holman