- \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
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- 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
<\/p>\n
How affordable is Internet service in 2019?<\/h3>\n
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\/fgd.dfv.mybluehost.me\/.website_c81a1e61\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Fastest-Internet-plan-by-download-speed-for-no-more-than-5-of-monthly-income-iin-2019-.png?resize=760%2C462&ssl=1\")
Figure 1: Fastest Internet plan by download speed for no more than 5% of monthly income in select Caribbean countries in 2019 (Sources: ISP websites, ICT Pulse)<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
Although 20 countries were examined, five countries \u2013 Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Montserrat, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines \u2013 did not have plans that satisfied the specified threshold. The fastest plan was recorded in Barbados, where for around 4.30% of a resident\u2019s monthly income, a plan with an advertised download speed of 240 Mbps can be secured. On the other hand, the slowest plans were recorded in Jamaica, where a 1 Mbps plan would consume 4.83% of the average resident\u2019s monthly income .<\/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\/fgd.dfv.mybluehost.me\/.website_c81a1e61\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Portion-of-an-individual%E2%80%99s-monthly-income-for-the-slowest-Internet-plan-by-advertised-download-speed-in-2019.png?resize=760%2C475&ssl=1\")
Figure 2: Portion of an individual\u2019s monthly income for the slowest advertised download speed Internet plan in select Caribbean countries in 2019 (Sources: ISP websites, ICT Pulse)<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
With regard to the slowest advertised download speed Internet plan, the least affordable plan was recorded in Belize, where a 512 kbps plan could consume up to 8.37% of a resident\u2019s monthly income. On the other hand, the most affordable plan, 0.89% 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 only 2.73% of the typical resident\u2019s monthly income.<\/p>\n
With regard to the fastest advertised download speed Internet plan, the least affordable plan was recorded in Jamaica, where a 400\u00a0Mbps plan could consume up approximately 25.4% of the typical resident\u2019s monthly income.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fgd.dfv.mybluehost.me\/.website_c81a1e61\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Portion-of-an-individual%E2%80%99s-monthly-income-for-the-fastest-advertised-download-speed-Internet-plan-in-2019-.png?resize=760%2C530&ssl=1\")
Figure 3: Portion of an individual\u2019s monthly income for the fastest advertised download speed Internet plan in select Caribbean countries in 2019 (Sources: ISP websites, ICT Pulse)<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
However, the most affordable plan, which would consume around 4.4 % of an individual\u2019s monthly income, was recorded in Aruba , for a plan with a maximum download speed of 150\u00a0Mbps. Further, the fastest plan available across the countries examined, 1\u00a0Gbps, was recorded in Barbados, where that plan would consume around 20.0% of the average resident\u2019s monthly income.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Image credit:\u00a0 Breakingpic (Pexels<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n