This episode is also available in Apple iTunes, Google Play Music and on Stitcher!

Located in the Lesser Antilles, or Eastern Caribbean, between Trinidad and Tobago, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the multi-island state of Grenada is famously known as the ‘Spice Isle’, due its longstanding production of spices, such as nutmeg, mace, turmeric, cinnamon and cloves, to name a few. Grenada is also popular tourist destination, especially for the well-heeled traveller, with its world famous Grand Anse Beach and ecotourism attractions.

Although it could be basking its reputation for spices and tourism, Grenada is becoming a force in the Caribbean ICT and telecoms space, and enjoys some of the fastest Internet speeds in the Eastern Caribbean, although its terrain is quite rugged and its population is around 110,000. To its credit, the country has a fully liberalised telecoms sector for almost 20 years, and a well-performing Internet Exchange Point, which it could be argued has a key driver behind the strides the country has been able to make, when compared with others countries in the region. However, to understand how and why Grenada has been able to achieve what it has with respect to telecoms and ICT, we need someone who knows the country’s telecoms and ICT space from the inside out.

Interview guest and questions

Brent McIntosh

Based in Grenada, Brent McIntosh is an Internet Service Provider and Network Infrastructure professional with expertise in Internet Protocol (IP) technologies. He considers himself an IPv6 and Internet Exchange Point (IXP) Evangelist, and is IP Network Architect/Consultant, as well as a certified IPv6 Forum Engineer and Trainer (Gold).

Brent has over 15 years’ experience in telecoms and ICT, having worked extensively for some of the major carriers in the Caribbean region. Currently, he is President of the IPv6 Forum in Grenada, and a Partner in the firm, Web Internet Telecoms, which provides consulting and a broad range of technology-related support services.

Brent comes across as someone with boundless enthusiasm – especially of the subjects of iPv6 and IXP! In our conversation with him, he shared several gems and insights on not only Grenada’s telecoms and ICT sector, but also the country’s business and entrepreneurship space. However, no discussion these days would be complete without mention of COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus. At the time of the interview, the Government of Grenada had instituted an island-wide lockdown, in order to lower the rate of infection. Nevertheless, other questions posed included the following:

1. How developed is the telecoms and ICT sector in Grenada ? How robust is the competition in the market? Are telecoms and ICT services affordable in Grenada?
2. How IPv6-ready are Caribbean countries?
3. What are some of the things the Grenada Internet Exchange has been doing right that other countries could consider emulating?
4. To what degree is the Government and private sector in Grenada leveraging ICT?
5. What is it like being an entrepreneur in Grenada ? What do you think about the country’s start-up environment/ start-up culture?
6. If someone outside Grenada wants to do business in Grenada, what are key steps that you would recommend?
7. What might be some of the idiosyncrasies of Grenada, and doing business in Grenada, that a foreigner might need to grapple with?
8. What are some of the tech-related or tech business related-trends you are seeing in the Grenada ?
9. What do you believe are the strengths of the ICT/tech space in Grenada ?
10. What are some of the challenges Grenada might have to address to improve ICT there?
11. What are some of the ICT/tech-related opportunities that you see in Grenada ?

We would love to hear from you!

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:

• Brent McIntosh
• Web Internet Telecoms
• National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (Grenada)
• American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN)
• Digicel Grenada
• Flow Grenada
• Green Dot Grenada

Image credits:  Wikimedia Commons;  Wikimedia Commons;  Skybluesrich (Pixabay);  Lee Coursey (flickr);  B McIntosh

Music credit:  Ray Holman

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This episode is also available in Apple iTunes, Google Play Music and on Stitcher!

Over the past two weeks, many of us who live and work in the Caribbean region may have been happy to learn that a fixed rate for roaming will soon be introduced. This initiative is one of many towards the establishment of a Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single ICT Space, which we have discussed quite extensively here on ICT Pulse, and more recently in an article, Caribbean roaming charges: when will they truly be eliminated?, and in a follow-up interview with Jennifer Britton of the CARICOM Secretariat.

In this month’s Podcast Community Chat, the discussions also have a regional focus, but first, here are our guests:

Eric Nurse

Eric Nurse, is CEO and Founder of NXSys.NET, a tech company, based in Grenada, that provides its clients with a broad range of customised solutions, and has a particular focus on intelligent systems for the public and private sectors. Those who might be familiar with Eric most likely connected with him when her worked for the Government of Grenada, having started in teaching and then working in the Ministry of Education. His last post with the Government was that of ICT Director of Ministry of Communication, Works and ICT, which he demitted in 2018.

Claire Craig

Claire Craig, who was a guest on the Podcast last year for our ride-hailing services episode, is the Enterprise Applications Support Manager, at the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies, in Trinidad and Tobago. She is currently enrolled in a Ph.D. Program in Social Policy at The UWI through Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) where her thesis focuses on the Deployment of Internet Exchange Points in the Caribbean. Claire has authored and presented papers and reports on pertinent ICT issues at local, regional and international meetings and conferences. She is a member of the Caribbean Network Operators Group (CaribNOG), President of the Association of Caribbean Higher Education Administrators (ACHEA) and a member of the Internet Society.

Topic 1:  National versus regional digital IDs

Seemingly piggybacking on the emphasis on regional integration, Eric tabled, The need for a digital ID that can be used seamlessly across the Caribbean region, which is a conversation we do not appear to be having in the region.

Many Caribbean countries have been talking about introducing a digital or smart ID system. Jamaica is one of the frontrunners, and although underpinning legislation was struck down by the courts last year as being unconstitutional and is in the process of being revised, equipment, technical advice and services are still being procured. Hence, invariably, and in most Caribbean countries, the focus appears to be local, not regional. As a result, we are likely to end up with a siloed approach to digital IDs, which does not facilitate greater regional harmonisation and integration, as envisaged under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.

Topic 2:  Internet Exchange Points

Finally, Internet Exchanges Points is something that we, consumers, frequently overlook, but their presence and proper functioning in the region could greatly enhance our Internet browsing experience. It is a topic we have discussed here on ICT Pulse since we first launched in 2011, and it also appears to be a concern to Claire, who wanted us to discuss, The importance of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) to the Caribbean region.

Currently, about half of the countries in the region have an iXP, but the majority may not be operating as they should, resulting in limited, or no, benefits to the countries. For her doctoral research, Claire’s focussed on Caribbean IXPs. Hence during the course of our discussion, she shared some of her findings, particularly the approach that seems to be working, particularly in Curacao and Grenada, which are benefiting from having a well-managed and well-leveraged IXP.

We would love to hear from you!

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:

• Claire Craig
• The University of the West Indies (St Augustine)
• Eric Nurse
• NXSys.NET
• Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
• Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
• CARICOM Single Market and Economy
• CARICOM Today article, What’s the Single ICT Space?
• PeeringDB
• Packet Clearing House (PCH)
• Caribbean Peering and Interconnection Forum

Image credits;  SplitShire (Pixabay);  PublicDomainPictures (Pixabay);  TPCativi. (Good FreePhotos);  C Craig;  E Nurse

Music credit:  Ray Holman

—————-

This episode is also available in Apple iTunes, Google Play Music and on Stitcher!

For those of us who are native English speakers in the Caribbean, we rarely pay attention to the non-English speaking territories that are our immediate neighbours, although many of them might also be members of regional groupings of which we are a part. Furthermore, and although at times there might be a language barrier, invariably there are also commonalities with which we can identify, and from which we can learn. Hence, in this instalment in our ‘Know Your Neighbours’ series, the country we will be exploring is Curaçao.

A part of the Dutch Caribbean and located north of Venezuela, between Aruba and Bonaire, Curaçao is a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The country covers approximately 444 squared kilometres (171 squared miles), and it has an estimated population of just under 160,000. Uniquely, Curaçao has three official languages: Dutch; English; and a local creole, Papiamento, although most nationals also speak Spanish.

Similar to many of its Caribbean neighbours, Curaçao is experiencing several economic challenges, and is eager to diversify its economy from tourism and international financial services. However, due to its location outside the hurricane belt, its sophisticated legislative framework – thanks to being part of the Dutch Kingdom – Curaçao is a popular destination for many major telecoms facilities. With the three commercial data centres established there, a robust Internet Exchange Point plus the six submarine cable systems that land there, at the very least, Curaçao possesses much of the critical infrastructure needed to truly begin to leverage the internet.

Giovanni King

Giovanni King is the Chief Operations Officer of the Bureau Telecommunicatie et Post (Bureau Telecommunications and Post) of Curaçao, which essentially is the regulator for, among other things, telecommunications, post, electricity, water and fuel. Giovanni has over 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, the majority of which is as an executive with a telecoms regulatory authority.

In this conversation with Giovanni, and similar to previous episodes of our Know Your Neighbours’ series, we hope to get a better understanding of, among other things:

• What the telecoms and ICT space is like in Curaçao?
• What are some of ICT-related trends and opportunities in Curaçao?
• And a few tips about the Curaçao psyche and business culture for those who might be curious about doing business there.

Some of the questions posed to Giovanni during the course of conversation include the following:

1. Can we get s a quick overview of Curaçao?
2. How developed is telecoms and ICT in Curaçao, and how robust is the competition in those markets?
3. Are telecoms and ICT services affordable in Curaçao? How is the quality of broadband service?
4. What might be some of the pros and cons of having commercial data centres that other Caribbean countries might not be aware of?
5. To what degree is the Government and private sector in Curaçao leveraging ICT?
6. What is it like being an entrepreneur in Curaçao? How is the start-up environment/ start-up culture?
7. What might be some of the idiosyncrasies of Curaçao, and doing business in Curaçao, that a foreigner might need to grapple with?
8. What are some of the tech-related or tech business related-trends evident in the Curaçao?
9. What are some of the ICT/tech-related opportunities evident in Curaçao?

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:

• Giovanni King
• Bureau Telecommunicatie et Post (BTP)
• Core NV
• Digicel Curaçao
• Flow Curaçao
• Liberty Latin America
• Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AM-IX)
• Tier-IV Datacenters
• BTP article, Curaçao as a Smart Nation: challenges and opportunities
• BTP presentation, Smart Nation Curaçao:  The Journey Towards a Smart Nation
• Sustainable Development Goals
• Smart Nation Curaçao Facebook page 

Image credits:   Michelle Maria (Pixabay);  Nelo Hotsuma (flickr);  Wikipedia;  G King

Music credit:  Ray Holman  

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

Welcome to our first Community Chat podcast episode for 2019!

For those who are joining us for the first time, essentially, the Community Chat is a ;panel discussion with at least two guests from the Caribbean tech community. Each guests is invited to submit an ICT/technology-related issue for discussion by the panel. However, in keeping with the thrust of ICT Pulse, where we discuss ICT issues from a Caribbean perspective, the issue proposed ought to be Caribbean focussed.

For our January Community Chat, we have two brand new guests, the topics they proposed are outlined in the sections that follow:

• Allison James, is a Manager at KPMG for Barbados and Eastern Caribbean countries, and is based in Barbados. She has a hybrid background as a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Information Systems Auditor. In her role at KPMG in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Allison seeks to bridge the gap between IT and business. Her areas of practice include digital transformations, data analytics, cyber security and information systems audit.
• Steve Spence, is the Chief Technology Officer at ArkiTechs Inc., an IT solutions provider headquartered in Florida, but Steven operates out of the firm’s Trinidad and Tobago office, for which he is also the Country Manager. Steve has over 20 years’ experience in the Electrical and Computer Engineering, and has worked in variety of roles both in the Caribbean and internationally.

Single Window Platforms – The risks and rewards

Allison James

Single Window Platforms have become a buzz term across the Caribbean, with many countries indicating that they are moving to adopt such platforms, particularly for trade and border clearance-related activities. Ideally, cut across multiple government ministries, departments and agencies, and in order to facilitate completely seamless trade, and border clearance-related transactions. However, in many countries, the results tend to be the computerization of select processes in a particular organisation, but not the cross-agency aspect, which is truly at the core – and a key benefit – of a Single Window Platform.

For her part, Allison, appears to be concerned that Caribbean governments seem to be jumping on the Single Window Platform bandwagon, but may not be carefully considering the pros and cons, especially in light of how difficult it is to successfully execute.

The Impact of Internet Exchange Point (IXP) on the viability of data centres in the Caribbean

Steve Spence

Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) is a topic, which we have discussed occasionally here on ICT Pulse. Our first article would have been in 2011, and at that time, there were less than a handful of IXPs across the Caribbean. Now well over half the countries have one, but, it may be argued that these IXPs are not fulfilling their true potential.

As a quick reference, an IXP is a physical network access point through which major network providers connect their networks and exchange traffic. When an IXP is established, it provides a more direct means for network providers (connected to that IXP) to exchange traffic, which tend to be faster and cheaper that the more circuitous routes that would typically apply.

However, in addition to that benefit, Steve believes that there are other benefits to be realised – specifically IXPs strengthening the business case for the establishment of data centres in the Caribbean region.

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:

• Arkhitects Inc.
• KPMG in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean
• Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA)
• Internet Exchange Point (IXP)
• Internet Society report, Promoting the Use of Internet Exchange Points: A Guide to Policy, Management, and Technical Issues
• ICT Pulse Podcast Interview, ICTP 006: Embracing the cloud, with Scott MacKenzie of Cloud Carib
• ICT Pulse Podcast Interview, ICTP 005: The nuts and bolts of the GDPR, with Bartlett Morgan

Image credits:  Sponchia (Pixabay);  A James;  S Spence

Music credit: Ray Holman

Overview and Agenda

Overview and Agenda

Monday, 18 February 2012

BTC To Invest Millions In New Cell Build-Out

Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) is set to invest several million dollars in building-out 15-18 new cell phone tower sites nationwide within the next 14-18 months, having already switched 25 per cent of its fixed-line customers over to the Next Generation Network (NGN)… more

FNM chairman criticizes govt for BTC ‘witch hunt’

Bahamas – Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Darron Cash yesterday defended his opposition to the sale of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) in 2011 and criticized the government for conducting a “witch hunt” on the sale of the company, calling it “pure comedy”… more

Avaya international technology event recognizes Anixter Dominicana

Dominican Republic – Anixter Dominicana, one of the country’s leading companies in technology solutions, was recognized as the best company which provides support to Avaya operations in the Dominican Republic clients in 2012… more

The revolution NATCOM

Haiti – The company NATCOM, a consortium, created in April 2010 between the Group Viettel Telecom (60%), [a subsidiary of the Vietnamese army] and the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (40%), has revolutionized the Telecommunications Sector in Haiti since the launch of its services in Haiti, September 7, 2011… more

Tuesday, 19 February 2013

Officials Deny CI Company Registry Hacked

Cayman Islands – The servers which hold information on the companies registered in the Cayman Islands have not been breached, officials from the Financial Services Ministry stated Monday… more

Citi launches m-payment service in Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic – Citi has signed a partnership agreement with mobile payment administrator GCS Systems to launch a mobile payment service dubbed ‘Citi Mobile Collect’… more

Cyber-Thingy™ to Present a Lottery and Gaming Software Solution To The Government of The Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic – Cyber Kiosk Solutions, Inc. (OTCPINK:CYBK) through its strategic relationship with one of the Government licensed Lottery dealers in the Dominican Republic will be presenting a lottery and gaming software solution to the Government of the Dominican Republic… more

Digicel Limited Commences Tender Offer And Consent Solicitation For Any And All Of Its 12% Senior Notes Due 2014

Jamaica – Digicel Limited (“Digicel” or the “Company”) today announced that it has commenced a cash tender offer, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Company’s Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement dated February 19, 2013 (the “Statement”), for any and all of its outstanding 12% senior notes due 2014 (the “Notes”)… more

TEXT-Fitch rates Digicel’s proposed notes ‘B/RR4(exp)’

Regional – Digicel Limited’s (DL) proposed US$700 million senior notes due 2021. Proceeds from the issuance are expected to be used to refinance DL’s US$510 million senior notes due 2014 and for general corporate uses… more

Wednesday, 20 February 2013

Hackers spark credit card chaos

Bahamas – Financial institutions in The Bahamas are scrambling to solve a major data breach at an international acquiring company that compromised thousands of credit cards… more

Johnson: BTC hitting all of the Key Performance Indicators

Bahamas – The Rotary Club of Lucaya hosted a meeting at which BTC executive told of the company’s accomplishments since being taken over by Cable & Wireless… more

Mixed reaction to URCA decision on CBL

Bahamas – The business community has expressed mixed reviews on the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority’s (URCA) decision to deny Cable Bahamas Limited’s (CBL) request to increase its monthly subscription rates… more

‘Shocking’ findings on BTC deal

Bahamas – Members of the government’s committee engaged in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) take back talks have found “shocking revelations” regarding the sale that they believe are so serious the public has a right to know… more

Installation of Govt. Fibre Optic Cable…Contractor’s shoddy work is now Ministry’s burden

Guyana – The Public Works Ministry is now tasked with correcting shoddy laying of the fibre optic cable from Kurupkari to Mabura by one of the project’s contractors … more

DPP wants cyber defamation criminalised

Jamaica – The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is urging Parliament to criminalise cyber defamation… more

Hackers attack at least four state bodies in two weeks

Jamaica – Hackers have launched cyber attacks on at least four public sector entities in two weeks, Julian Robinson, chairman of a joint-select committee of Parliament considering the review of Cyber Crimes Act, said today… more

Mobile money just steps away

Jamaica – Jamaica is not too far away from seeing money remitted from overseas being sent to mobile phones… more

OUR Opens IXP Talks In Jamaica

Jamaica – The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) opened discussions about the establishment of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) in Jamaica at a symposium hosted for industry stakeholders at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel… more

Profit closer to LIME’s bottom line

Jamaica – LIME Jamaica’s profit moved closer to the bottom line at the end of 2012… more

LTE connections to more than double in 2013

Regional – Some 150 operators worldwide have launched commercial LTE services in 67 countries, 50 of which were launched in the past five months, according to a report by trade association 4G Americas… more

Thursday, 21 February 2013

Comverse Solutions Power 4G Business Transformation at The Bahamas Telecommunications Company Ltd. (BTC)

Bahamas – Comverse announced today that Bahamas Telecommunications Company Ltd. (BTC), a leading provider of multi-play services in the Bahamas and a subsidiary of Cable & Wireless Communications PLC, has successfully deployed the Comverse ONE Real-Time Billing & Active Customer Management solution to support its business transformation and optimize its new 4G infrastructure for new service enablement and monetization, together with Comverse SMSC and USSD services… more

Broadcast regulations must be done to satisfy the public’s interest, not for political gain

Guyana – Dear Editor,
Who exactly does the government think we are? … more

Cabinet approves central office for ICT projects

Jamaica – Cabinet has approved the formation of a central office to handle all Government information communication and technology (ICT) projects in the island… more

Govt. ICT Network to Be Managed By Single Entity

Jamaica – A central entity is to be set up to manage the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) network of the Government… more

Ministers Hail UWI E-Book Project

Jamaica – Minister of Education, Rev. the Hon. Ronald Thwaites, has hailed the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) electronic book (e-book) initiative, noting that it will save students significant sums in textbook costs… more

Caribbean cell phone company asks South Florida relatives to buy minutes for family back home

Jamaica – An Irish billionaire’s telecommunications company, which has revolutionized cell phone usage in some of the world’s poorest countries, is bringing it’s latest marketing pitch to South Florida… more

Regional leaders want end to US, Antigua dispute

Regional – Caribbean leaders are calling on the United States to comply with the ruling by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to end the long-running dispute with Antigua and Barbuda on Internet gaming… more

Technology and TT

Trinidad & Tobago – THE annual Trade and Investment Convention (TIC) first opened in March 2000 and thirteen years later it has grown into the largest business convention of its kind in the Caribbean… more

Friday, 22 February 2013

Police continue mobile phone, DUI crackdown

Cayman Islands – Between the 13 -18 February police have ticketed 6 persons for using their mobile phones while driving… more

Guyana Telephone taps Mahindra Comviva for mobile financial services

Guyana – Guyana Telephone & Telegraph (GT&T) has tapped Mahindra Comviva to offer mobile financial services… more

Outcry against state radio, TV calypso ban; gov’t enquiring

Guyana – At least two prominent Guyanese singers on Friday expressed disappointment and fear at a decision to ban the 2013 calypsos from the airwaves of the state-owned National Communications Network (NCN)… more

Weak cybercrimes law hurting police investigations

Jamaica – Experts from the Organised Crime Investigative Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force say deficiencies in the present Cybercrimes Act have made prosecuting some criminals who prey on young girls extremely difficult… more

AT&T Recaps $325M ’10-’12 Investments In Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico – Wireless carrier AT&T on Thursday provided a recap of its investments in its Puerto Rico wireless and wireline networks from 2010 through 2012 totaling more than $325 million as it focuses on expanding 4G LTE mobile Internet coverage and enhancing the overall performance of its infrastructure… more

Saturday, 23 February 2013

Teachers must embrace technology

Jamaica – There are many schools in Jamaica that are well equipped with computer labs. However, they are locked away by some administrators for safe keeping in fear of their teachers and students “mashing them up!”… more

Sunday, 24 February 2013

LlamaRepublicaDominicana.com Offers Lower Rates on Dominican Republic National Day

Dominican Republic – LlamaRepublicaDominicana.com is happy to offer anniversary calls by providing 60% lower rates to call Dominican Republic. The rate of 1¢/minute is available for calls to all landlines in Dominican Republic on February 27th, Dominican Republic National Day… more

GT&T still enjoys stay in Samuels case

Guyana – On Friday, Justice B.S. Roy heard arguments from counsel for Mr. James Samuels and Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) regarding procedural issues arising from GT&T’s appeal of Justice Rishi Persaud’s decision in June, 2012 regarding Mr. Samuels’ contract dispute with GT&T… more

Computer Whiz From Primary School – Government Moving To Introduce E-Learning To Toddlers

Jamaica – Government is now looking at moving the E-Learning project to primary schools. The seven-year old project now targets secondary schools and teachers’ colleges and provides them with broadband access to the Internet, audio visual equipment, and other information and communications technology aids… more

CANTO’s 29th AGM & Mini Expo Climaxes With The Launch Of The CANTO/IDB Broadband Infrastructure Inventory And Public Awareness In The Caribbean (BIIPAC) Project Launch

Trinidad & Tobago – Amidst the buzz and hype of the popular annual Carnival festivities of Trinidad & Tobago, CANTO and Telecommunications Services of Trinidad & Tobago (TSTT) successfully co-hosted CANTO’s 29th Annual General Meeting (AGM) & Mini Expo at the Hyatt Regency Hotel… more

Image credits:  NS Newsflash / flickr;  Brands of the World;  Facebook;  The West India News

__________

Over the past year or so, the need for Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) in the Caribbean has been promoted as a means of introducing connectivity efficiencies from which both Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and consumers can benefit. At last week’s 8th Caribbean Internet Governance Forum, (CIGF) held in Saint Lucia, and organised by the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), Bevil Wooding, Internet Strategist at Packet Clearing House, again made the case for the establishment of IXPs. This post summarises his talk. His presentation slides can be found on the CTU website.

IXPs are not only about connectivity efficiencies

Bevil Wooding, Outreach Manager, Packet Clearing House

In his talk, Wooding first established a context for IXPs by highlighting the types of arrangements Internet network operators enter into, in order to connect with other networks. He noted that Internet network operators must cooperate privately with each other in order deliver global connectivity, while publicly competing for customers. Two options are typically used to establish connectivity between operators: peering and transiting. Peering speaks to reciprocal arrangements between providers where they deliver each other’s traffic for free, whilst with transit arrangements, both parties pay each other to deliver each other’s traffic.

Peering is often used when relatively equitable benefits will be realised by the parties, e.g., if the traffic flow between them is more or less equal, and if they were to pay each other, the net difference would be minimal. In contrast, transiting arrangements are likely to be employed when one party has considerable leverage over, and/or will benefit more significantly than, the other. For example, transiting may be agreed when considerably more traffic flows in one direction that another, for example from the Caribbean to United States (US). Hence the recipient of the greater traffic could receive a significant net payment.  Hence, all ISPs aim to minimise transit costs. They try to exchange as much traffic as possible via peering, and pay for access for the rest.

In contrast, Wooding was quick to highlight that for network operators that do not peer with other providers and rely on transit arrangements exclusively, they are likely to experience the following repercussions:

• expensive or unduly high operating costs
• inefficient routing
• poor Quality of Service for customers
• needless export of capital.

Hence, IXPs are a part of the critical foundation to foster the domestic Internet economy. The domestic Internet economy develops when the users shift from just consuming content hosted outside of a country, to producing local content and facilitating local transactions on local networks.

Where is the Caribbean at re IXPs?

According to Wooding, Internet traffic exchange in the Caribbean is inefficient and expensive. Caribbean ISPs pay exorbitant transit charges to US Internet Exchanges, resulting in those costs being passed on to consumers and the providers offering reduced services.

Moreover, large ISPs (Internet carriers or Internet network operators) – which in the Caribbean would be Flow and LIME – own the primary transit routes that connect to the wider Internet, and have little incentive to peer with others. Consequently, the transit model discriminates against the development of local and regional digital content, in favour of US content.

In summary and through the establishment of national IXPs, countries in the region can create a more enabling Internet environment that would not only reduce Internet costs, but also improve transmission efficiencies, and foster the development of the local Internet ecosystem and economy. However, how many CARICOM countries have either established, or are in the process of establishing, IXPs? Table 1 provides the results as at the time of posting.

Table 1: Status of IXPs in the Caribbean (Source: Packet Clearing House)

Okay, so we decide to establish an IXP, then what?

In wrapping up his talk, and in the questions that followed, Bevil reiterated the fact that the deployment of IXPs sets the groundwork for a number of initiatives to follow.  For example, it is only after an IXP has been established – i.e. when the facility exists – that countries can invite providers such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Akamai, to locate some of their resources in-country. Additionally, IXPs are a critical Internet resource, which is an essential component in any national cyber defence strategy, as was outlined in Escalating cyber security up the political agenda. Hence, although there are clear and immediate benefits that can be realised from deploying IXPs, the bigger picture and longer-term gains include, fostering:

• local innovation and entrepreneurship
• local content generation
• economic growth
• capacity building, and ultimately
• national development.

Image credits:  CTU, Bevil Wooding

_______________

Consider this: Two separate Internet networks (or ISPs) are located in relatively close proximity to each other. Normally, all of their data is transmitted via the Internet, regardless of destination. They each purchase capacity on submarine cables or via satellite to get the traffic off-country, and they pay international transit and third party providers to have the data delivered to the specified destinations.

Consider also that for both of those networks, a fair amount of their traffic is destined for the other. It is still necessary for traffic intended for a local address to be sent internationally to the Internet, only to be returned back to the country, and possibly to someone in the neighbourhood or even across the street from the sender? The short answer is no. Depending on the amount of traffic, a more economical alternative might be for the ISPs to connect their networks directly, and route locally destined data through that link.

An Internet Exchange Point (IXP) is a more elaborate version of this concept. It is infrastructure through which ISPs exchange Internet traffic via mutual peering agreements, to allow traffic to be exchanged without charge.  The IXP allows a variety of Internet networks and providers, such as ISPs, telecoms, broadband, mobile and cable operators and even large corporates, to connect directly with each other and exchange data.

In establishing an IXP, all Internet traffic does not need long distance links. Traffic exchanged via the IXP is usually not billed, and in reducing the amount of traffic that must be handled by transit and third party providers in turn decreases the per bit delivery costs payable by the local operators and providers.

Another advantage of having an IXP, is that delays, e.g. in delivering emails and loading up local web pages, which is usually referred to as latency, can be significantly diminished for data delivered via the exchange. Hence there can be an improved Internet experience, which seems faster, more efficient and more responsive.

Finally, many of us would have realised that rarely do we experience anywhere close to the upper limit of the connection speed that we pay for. For example, if you have subscribed to an Internet package that offers a download speed of up to 1 Mbps, rarely will you connect at that speed, or even 75% of that. One of the key reasons for that is that your ISP cannot guarantee off-country connection speeds. At peak times of the day, Internet speeds can be noticeably slower than at others. However, for services and providers that are connected to the same IXP, connection speeds will be consistently faster, than for those that must travel through the Internet.

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Currently, many countries in the region are actively considering deploying national IXPs – none exist in the English-speaking Caribbean. They and locally based ISPs are aware of the benefits (discussed above) that could be accrued. However, many of those who are advocating widespread IXP deployment in the region, seem to be suggesting that increased local content and Internet competitiveness will automatically result. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to be the case.

Local webhosting limited and not competitive

In most countries there is a fair amount of Internet content that is being created and hosted locally. Key sources would be Government, academic institutions, indigenous banks, utility companies, and large local organisations for which having in-house web servers are an advantage. However, for many other organisations and even for the individual user, locally available web-hosting facilities are limited and not necessarily competitive with that available internationally. Occasionally, such facilities even resell products and services that originate elsewhere. Hence, unless or until local webhosts can offer a broad range of features as well as sufficient protection from loss or failure, all of which is competitively priced, content creators may still opt to have their products hosted overseas, and the anticipated benefits of IXPs will not necessarily be realised.

Questionable RoI

Deploying national IXPs would facilitate low-latency and high bandwidth applications, such as multimedia streaming, video conferencing and interactive services. However, in countries of relatively small populations within the region, hosting those applications locally, and if relying primarily on the local population, might not be profitable or yield an adequate return on investment. This situation might already obtain for organisations or businesses with operations throughout the region. It might not be economical for them to have individual or independent web offerings for each country they serve, when the traffic volumes each generates are considered.

In that regard, there might be a strong case for a regional or sub-regional IXP, e.g. for the ECTEL region (St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada). None of those countries have a population over 200,000. The smallest, St. Kitts and Nevis, has a population of approximately 50,000, but their combined population is over 500,000. That arrangement would improve both the economies of scale and scope, and would be consistent with the existing premise of maintaining a single telecoms space among those islands.

Limited financial benefits to subscribers and users

One of the key benefits of establishing IXPs is the reduction in payments to transit and third parties for handling Internet traffic. Although network operators and ISPs will immediately enjoy those savings, it remains unclear whether subscribers will experience any reductions in the rates payable for access to Internet service.

Internet providers and policy makers should recognise that the ubiquitous use of mobile phones in the region occurred, thanks in large part to the relatively low rates that were introduced in the early 2000s. Currently, it is the primary mode of telecommunications in the region, and has been the impetus for innovation and content development, such as through the mobile applications development both here and internationally.

Hence, while establishing national IXPs in the Caribbean will yield benefits to Internet operators and providers, and even to users, these systems, by themselves, are unlikely to accelerate local content creation. Considerable and affordable resources are already available and accessible over the Internet, and users pay the access rates prescribed by local providers. Internet Providers, and perhaps policy makers, must still be prepared to offer further benefits to users to increase the local content that is generated and accessible over the Internet.

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