Many Caribbean countries have implemented free public Wi-Fi programmes, which although laudable, should be one step of many to get people connected to the Internet.
Over the past several years, and to varying degrees, Caribbean countries have been rolling out free public Wi-Fi hotspots. One of the most popular initiatives was 11.11.11 ON – Wi-Fi Barbados, which was launched in 2011 in Barbados with the objective of achieving 100% coverage.
More recently, Jamaica has been moving more aggressively to install public hotspots At the time of writing, 13 public hotspots had been installed in growth centres across the country, and an additional six hotspots should be installed by the end of the year. Further, a community Wi-Fi programme to establish hotspots in 189 residential communities island wide is also in the works.
Without a doubt, the rollout of free public Wi-Fi networks in Caribbean countries is commendable, as it provides a means through which individuals can be connected outside the home, should they not be able to connect to mobile/cellular broadband. However, there is a concern that these public hotspots are seen the ‘endgame’, that is the connectivity goal, and not just one of many milestones that ought to be achieved. We thus share a few thoughts on public Wi-Fi hotspots, and why they should be part of larger plan to get more people connected to the Internet.
Making Internet connectivity the norm
In a time when increasingly, our societies are becoming more connected, and we move towards smart(er) cities and countries, free public Wi-fi networks help to foster a more comprehensive and seamless experience through which all devices covered by a Wi-Fi network can (potentially) be connected. Although smartphones connect via mobile/cellular broadband, desktop, laptop and tablet computers do not always have mobile/cellular capability, and so Wi-Fi becomes especially relevant for those devices.
To a considerable degree across the region, and for still a relatively large section of our population, Internet access is still a novelty. There has been a lot of talk about digital literacy, but most people really do not interact with the Internet enough to truly develop the competencies and knowledge expected of persons who are digitally literate. In other words, there is still much ground to cover in normalising Internet access and use among our populace, and free public Wi-fi networks is a good first step.
Poor service quality typically experienced
It may not be openly specified, but no public Wi-Fi hotspot – and even no private Internet connection – has truly unlimited or uncapped bandwidth. Inherently, there is some cap or threshold. Hence, as more users connect to a hotspot, and depending on what online activities they are doing, and consequently how much bandwidth they are consuming, congestion of the network occurs, and poor service quality is experienced.
Poor service quality can also be experienced depending on how networks are deployed. Typically, we think of a Wi-Fi hotspot as basically a single wireless access point that covers a defined area. However, in addition to congestion caused by too many devices connecting to the network, the deployment of the network and how it is configured can also affect the strength of the signals in the area that should be covered. Trees, walls, buildings, and even the weather, can affect service quality, which can result in ineffective hotspots, especially when there is high demand for access. Hence, free public Wi-Fi hotspots are likely to develop service quality challenges, which affect their useability and the degree to which they provide reliable Internet access.
Meaningful connectivity still necessary
In an ideal world, most countries would wish to have a comprehensive free public Wi-Fi network that covers their entire jurisdiction. Typically, they start by covering cities and major towns, and there may be the hope to eventually extend to minor towns, villages and communities. However, and as wonderful as such initiatives might be, the emphasis on and availability of free public Wi-Fi networks should not be seen as replacing the need for people to be meaningfully connected to the Internet.
According to the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), and at a minimum, individuals could be considered to have meaningful connectivity if: (i) they can access the Internet daily; (ii) at the very least, they have a (decent) smartphone; (iii) they have access to unlimited data; and (iv) they are able to connect to the Internet at 4G-range speed.
In the event that public Wi-Fi hotspots are the primary means that individuals experience the Internet, per the A4AI’s guidelines, the odds are they not meaningfully connected. A public hotspot should really be a stopgap: to be used intermittently, and to complement the more permanent and longer term Internet access arrangement that individuals should have in place.
Long term plans are crucial
As stated earlier, the rollout of public Wi-Fi hotspots should be one of many programmes and initiatives that governments are implementing to increase and improve Internet access for their citizens. However, what those longer-term plans might be, have not been made publicly available, and may in fact, not exist in many Caribbean countries. Further, many of our countries do not have national development plans, or ICT sector development plans, that are current and active, which could imply an ad hoc approach without coherent medium-to-long term plans and strategies being in place.
Ultimately, we ought to want our citizens to be in a position to not only access the broad range of experiences that can be enjoyed via the internet, but also to determine how best the Internet can be leveraged to improve their lives. However, and for those on the other side of the digital divide, a narrowing of that chasm is not a given. A broad range of issues would need to be tackled, which will require well-considered solutions, along with concerted and sustained effort, in order for universal and meaningful connectivity to be achieved.
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