Over the past several months, the demand for faster upload and download speeds have exploded across the Caribbean region. However, more Internet bandwidth means higher rates, which most of us cannot afford.

 

A recent article published in Jamaica highlighted a number of challenges that were being experienced across schools in Jamaica, which included, the heavy demand for Internet bandwidth, which has increased considerably due to the pandemic. Although the article acknowledged that damaged or outdated equipment is contributing to the lower transmission speeds being experienced on school premises, schools were still seeking to increase the bandwidth they received from service providers, and were concerned about the exorbitant rates they would have to pay.

In most Caribbean countries and over the past year, schools have not been opened consistently. Intermittently, schools have had to close for several days and even weeks, as one of many measures implemented to manage the spread of COVID-19. It may thus be argued that the Internet bandwidth available on school premises (i) would not have been in considerable demand when schools were closed, and (ii) should not be in considerable when students are on the premises and engaged in face-to-face learning.

That second point would most likely have been true a year or 18 months ago, but it is less likely to be the case, due to the following reasons:

  • More students have their own personal devices, particularly tablet computers, thanks to the many ‘tablet in schools’ initiatives that have been implemented across the region
  • Teachers are becoming more comfortable with technology and with online learning tools and resources, which increasingly, are being incorporated into in-person teaching and learning methodologies
  • Schools are no longer limiting Internet access to administrative purposes only, but extending it to the classroom
  • More personal devices are being continually connected to the schools’ Internet service, even if they are not being actively used during class time.

Ultimately, and as reported in the article, the Internet bandwidth demand of schools has been growing, and is likely to continue to grow in the short-to-medium term, as online tools and resources are leveraged to a greater degree in the classroom and by individuals – including children – as we become ever more connected. However, the service being provided to schools can already be expensive, as is the Jamaica experience, and increasing the bandwidth, to better accommodate the perceived demand, might beyond what schools can afford.

It thus appears that we are in a conundrum, which is not just limited to schools. There may be a need to feed a seemingly unending demand for bandwidth – that we hope will remedy much of the quality of service issues that are being experienced – but for which we cannot necessarily afford the rates payable.

As with many conundrums, there are no easy answers or pat solutions. However, below we outline three ways, which individually, but more powerfully together, that could help organisations, and even countries, better manage our seemingly insatiable need for faster Internet speeds and more bandwidth

 

1.  Address the problems in your backyard

As mentioned earlier, and in the case of schools in Jamaica, damaged or outdated equipment is contributing to the poor Internet service quality that is being experienced. Although securing faster packages from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) could (arguably) improve the situation, the state of the equipment, and even how internal networks/infrastructure have been deployed and configured, can undermine Internet performance. Even the age of end-user devices, such as desktop and laptop computers, along with whether devices might contain malware, should also be considered, as they can have a noticeable impact on Internet access speeds and service quality.

However, there seems to be an expectation that the ISPs are responsible for the wiring and infrastructure that has been deployed within users’ premises. In most countries and many instances, that is not the case. Similar to electricity services, any telecoms equipment, wiring and infrastructure beyond the main distribution point, that is the point where a site is connected to the ISP’s network, it is the customer’s responsibility, not the ISP’s.

Unfortunately, many organisation make little or no provision to maintain or upgrade their telecoms equipment and/or infrastructure, and so may find after a few years – similar with one’s smartphone, for example – the network is not as responsive as it used to be. Hence, end-users and organisations ought to examine their internal networks and be prepared to invest in upgrading them as part of the effort needed to ensure optimal Internet performance.

 

2.  Store more content locally

One of the biggest issues that currently is being experienced is the fact that much of the files, or rather content, that is being generated locally, is being stored in remote locations outside the Caribbean country (in which it was generated), or the region – although that content is being accessed within the same Caribbean country. Good examples of this are the lessons teachers prepare for their classes, or the files and documents employees have created solely for use within their organisation.

Thanks to well-known platforms, such as Google and Dropbox, we are able to access free online storage. However, access to these platforms can consume considerable bandwidth (depending on the size of the files being accessed), which could be considered wasteful, especially when the users are all in the same location.

There could thus be a case for storage servers to be available locally, or even regionally, which can be configured to be accessed without having to use the Internet. With regard to education, many governments are moving towards deploying education management information systems to better support education administration and management. However, the majority of them rely on the Internet for connectivity, which inherently is also a vulnerability. Bringing some of the network equipment, such as the servers, could reduce the need for the internet access at every instant, whilst also making the network more robust and resilient.

 

3.  Leverage the power of IXPs

Finally, and about a decade ago, there was a huge push to have Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) installed in Caribbean countries. Essentially, IXPs work by creating shorter and more direct routes for traffic that would otherwise be routed via the Internet. When IXPs are working well, several benefits can be realised, including,

  • cost savings for the ISPs, due to less access of international links
  • better network performance and user experience, due to, among other things, faster connectivity and lower latency, and
  • improved network resilience, as local traffic no longer needs the Internet to function.

Quite a few Caribbean countries eventually ended getting an IXP, but in many instances, they have not been functioning as effectively as envisaged. Although there are many reasons for the limited (or non-existent) role IXPs have been playing, it could be argued IXPs could be revisited to help address our bandwidth, service quality and affordability conundrum, whilst also strengthening the resilience of our national networks.

 

 

Image credit: Lars Plougmann (flickr)