- \n
- The rates recorded are compared against estimated monthly income, using per capita Gross Domestic Product figures, sourced from the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations, which will be used as proxies.<\/li>\n
- The resulting ratios are expressed as percentages, which indicate the proportion of a person\u2019s income that would be spent on the stated plans, and hence indicates the extent to which it might be affordable to the average consumer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
In this year\u2019s review, three exercises are conducted. In the countries examined, we wish to determine:<\/p>\n
- \n
- the fastest Internet plan by download speed for no more than 5% of an individual\u2019s monthly income<\/li>\n
- the portion of an individual\u2019s monthly income would be consumed by the slowest advertised download speed Internet plan; and<\/li>\n
- the portion of an individual\u2019s monthly income would be consumed by the fastest advertised download speed Internet plan.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
How affordable is Internet service in 2018?<\/h3>\n
First, we used as a benchmark, the global target set by the Broadband Commission for Digital Development that the cost of fixed-broadband services should be less than 5% of monthly GNI per capita. With that target, Figure 1 shows the fastest Internet plan that can be secured for no more than 5% of the average person\u2019s income.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Fastest-Internet-plan-by-download-speed-for-no-more-than-5-of-monthly-income-in-select-Caribbean-countries-in-2018-.png?resize=580%2C363\")
Figure 1: Fastest Internet plan by download speed for no more than 5% of monthly income in select Caribbean countries in 2018 (Sources: ISP websites, ICT Pulse)<\/p><\/div>\n
Although 18 countries were examined, five countries \u2013 Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname \u2013 did not have plans that satisfied the specified threshold. The fastest plan was recorded in Barbados, where for around 4.25% of a resident\u2019s monthly income, a plan with an advertised download speed of 240\u00a0Mbps can be secured. On the other hand, the slowest plans were recorded in Dominica and Saint Lucia, where a 2\u00a0Mbps plan would consume 4.25% and 4.83%, respectively.<\/p>\n
Second, using the data presented in our recently published Internet speeds and pricing Snapshot<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, Figure 2 and Figure 3 show the portion of an individual\u2019s monthly income would be consumed by the slowest and the fastest advertised download speed Internet plans, respectively.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Portion-of-an-individual%E2%80%99s-monthly-income-for-the-slowest-advertised-download-speed-Internet-plan-in-select-Caribbean-countries-in-2018.png?resize=580%2C363\")
Figure 2: Portion of an individual\u2019s monthly income for the slowest advertised download speed Internet plan in select Caribbean countries in 2018 (Sources: ISP websites, ICT Pulse)<\/p><\/div>\n
With regard to the slowest advertised download speed Internet plan, the least affordable plan was recorded for Guyana, where a 256 kbps plan could consume up to 7.5% of a resident\u2019s monthly income. On the other hand, the most affordable plan, 0.9% of an individual\u2019s monthly income, but only providing a maximum download speed of 0.512 kbps, was recorded for the Cayman Islands. However, the fastest plan was recorded for Aruba at 100 Mbps, which would consume less than 5% (4.2%) of the typical resident\u2019s monthly income.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Portion-of-an-individual%E2%80%99s-monthly-income-for-the-fastest-advertised-download-speed-Internet-plan-in-select-Caribbean-countries-in-2018.png?resize=580%2C373\")
Figure 3: Portion of an individual\u2019s monthly income for the fastest advertised download speed Internet plan in select Caribbean countries in 2018 (Sources: ISP websites, ICT Pulse)<\/p><\/div>\n
With regard to the fastest advertised download speed Internet plan, the least affordable plan was recorded for Belize, where a 16\u00a0Mbps plan could consume up approximately 50.4% of the typical resident\u2019s monthly income. On the other hand, the most affordable plan, 5.9% of an individual\u2019s monthly income, was recorded for the Cayman Islands, for a plan with a maximum download speed of 300\u00a0Mbps. Further, the fastest plan available across the countries examined, 1\u00a0Gbps, was recorded for Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, where those plans would consume 21.1% and 21.4%, respectively, of the average resident\u2019s monthly income.<\/p>\n
Some initial thoughts<\/h3>\n
Although we have updated our tests to examine the affordability of Internet service across the Caribbean region, the results indicate that in some countries, individuals may still be challenged to purchase a \u2018reasonable speed plan\u2019. Of particular note, are Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname, for which there appeared to be no plan that could be purchased for under 5% of the typical resident\u2019s monthly income.<\/p>\n
The difficulty is again emphasised when the affordability of the slowest advertised download speed Internet plan was examined. In some of the countries, specifically Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname, the slowest plan would consume over 5% of a resident\u2019s monthly income, for up to 3 Mbps in download speed.<\/p>\n
With regard to the fastest plans, it was expected that their rates would far exceed the 5% of monthly income threshold, especially for download speeds faster than 20\u00a0Mbps. However, attention is drawn to the Aruba and the Cayman Islands, where for well under 10% of a resident\u2019s monthly income, a 200 Mbps plan and a 300\u00a0Mbps plan, respectively can be secured.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Image credit:\u00a0 \u00a0nattanan23 (Pixabay<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"