{"id":150981,"date":"2020-01-22T06:00:39","date_gmt":"2020-01-22T11:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ict-pulse.com\/?p=150981"},"modified":"2020-01-22T06:00:45","modified_gmt":"2020-01-22T11:00:45","slug":"ictp-089-exploring-curacao-telecoms-ict-space-giovanni-king","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2020\/01\/ictp-089-exploring-curacao-telecoms-ict-space-giovanni-king\/","title":{"rendered":"ICTP 089: Exploring the Cura\u00e7ao telecoms and ICT space, with Giovanni King"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cura\u00e7ao<\/em> is one of the leading telecoms and ICT infrastructure hubs in the Caribbean, which tends to be overlooked by its Caribbean neighbours. Giovanni King of the Bureau Telecommunications and Post in <\/em>Cura\u00e7ao, discusses the current state of telecoms in Cura\u00e7ao, how it has been able to develop its infrastructure to attract global players, and how the country plans to become a smart nation. <\/em><\/p>\n

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<\/iframe><\/p>\nThis episode is also available in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/ict-pulse-podcast\/id1373550291\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Apple iTunes<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/playmusic.app.goo.gl\/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/m\/Icau5acn2xiyl5yjuh7orl2mt54?t%3DICT_Pulse_Podcast%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google Play Music<\/a> and on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/podcast\/ict-pulse-podcast?refid=stpr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stitcher<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\nFor 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 \u2018Know Your Neighbours\u2019 series, the country we will be exploring is Cura\u00e7ao.<\/p>\nA part of the Dutch Caribbean and located north of Venezuela, between Aruba and Bonaire, Cura\u00e7ao 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, Cura\u00e7ao has three official languages: Dutch; English; and a local creole, Papiamento, although most nationals also speak Spanish.<\/p>\nSimilar to many of its Caribbean neighbours, Cura\u00e7ao 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 \u2013 thanks to being part of the Dutch Kingdom \u2013 Cura\u00e7ao 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, Cura\u00e7ao possesses much of the critical infrastructure needed to truly begin to leverage the internet.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_150985\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-150985\" data-attachment-id=\"150985\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2020\/01\/ictp-089-exploring-curacao-telecoms-ict-space-giovanni-king\/givvanni-king-g-king\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Givvanni-King-G-King.jpg?fit=640%2C496&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"640,496\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"Givvanni King (G King)\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"Giovanni King<\/p>\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Givvanni-King-G-King.jpg?fit=300%2C233&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Givvanni-King-G-King.jpg?fit=640%2C496&ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-150985\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fgd.dfv.mybluehost.me\/.website_c81a1e61\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Givvanni-King-G-King-300x233.jpg?resize=400%2C310&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Givvanni-King-G-King.jpg?resize=300%2C233&ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Givvanni-King-G-King.jpg?w=640&ssl=1 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/>Giovanni King<\/p><\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/giovanniking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Giovanni King<\/a><\/strong> is the Chief Operations Officer of the <a href=\"https:\/\/btnp.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bureau Telecommunicatie et Post<\/a><\/strong> (<a href=\"https:\/\/btnp.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bureau Telecommunications and Post<\/strong><\/a>) of Cura\u00e7ao, 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.<\/p>\nIn this conversation with Giovanni, and similar to previous episodes of our Know Your Neighbours\u2019 series, we hope to get a better understanding of, among other things:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What the telecoms and ICT space is like in Cura\u00e7ao?<\/li>\n<li>What are some of ICT-related trends and opportunities in Cura\u00e7ao?<\/li>\n<li>And a few tips about the Cura\u00e7ao psyche and business culture for those who might be curious about doing business there.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nSome of the questions posed to Giovanni during the course of conversation include the following:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Can we get s a quick overview of Cura\u00e7ao?<\/li>\n<li>How developed is telecoms and ICT in Cura\u00e7ao, and how robust is the competition in those markets?<\/li>\n<li>Are telecoms and ICT services affordable in Cura\u00e7ao? How is the quality of broadband service?<\/li>\n<li>What might be some of the pros and cons of having commercial data centres that other Caribbean countries might not be aware of?<\/li>\n<li>To what degree is the Government and private sector in Cura\u00e7ao leveraging ICT?<\/li>\n<li>What is it like being an entrepreneur in Cura\u00e7ao? How is the start-up environment\/ start-up culture?<\/li>\n<li>What might be some of the idiosyncrasies of Cura\u00e7ao, and doing business in Cura\u00e7ao, that a foreigner might need to grapple with?<\/li>\n<li>What are some of the tech-related or tech business related-trends evident in the Cura\u00e7ao?<\/li>\n<li>What are some of the ICT\/tech-related opportunities evident in Cura\u00e7ao?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n <\/p>\nWe would love to hear your thoughts!<\/p>\nDo leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ICTPulse\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Facebook<\/a><\/strong> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/ict-pulse-consulting-limited\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/strong> pages, or via Twitter, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ICTPulse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@ICTPulse<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<h3>Select links<\/h3>\nBelow are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/giovanniking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Giovanni King<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/btnp.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bureau Telecommunicatie et<\/a> Post (BTP)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/core.cw\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\""noopener noopener noreferrer\">Core NV<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.digicelgroup.com\/cw\/en\/mobile.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\""noopener noopener noreferrer\">Digicel Cura\u00e7ao <\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/discoverflow.co\/curacao\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\""noopener noopener noreferrer\">Flow Cura\u00e7ao <\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lla.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\""noopener noopener noreferrer\">Liberty Latin America<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ams-ix.net\/car\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\""noopener noopener noreferrer\">Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AM-IX)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ctexpartners.com\/tier-iv-datacenters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\""noopener noopener noreferrer\">Tier-IV Datacenters<\/a><\/li>\n<li>BTP article, <a href=\"https:\/\/btnp.org\/publication\/curacao-as-a-smart-nation-challenges-and-opportunities-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\""noopener noopener noreferrer\">Cura\u00e7ao as a Smart Nation: challenges and opportunities<\/a><\/em><\/li>\n<li>BTP presentation, <a href=\"https:\/\/onthemove.lacnic.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SN%20Presentation%20LACNIC%20on%20the%20Moove%202019%20_%20Leonardo%20Ladeira%20_%20BTP.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\""noopener noopener noreferrer\">Smart Nation Cura\u00e7ao:\u00a0 The Journey Towards a Smart Nation<\/a><\/em><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sustainabledevelopment.un.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\""noopener noopener noreferrer\">Sustainable Development Goals<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/smartnationcuracao\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\""noopener noopener noreferrer\">Smart Nation Cura\u00e7ao Facebook page\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\nImage credits:\u00a0 \u00a0Michelle Maria (<a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pixabay<\/a>);\u00a0 <a class=\"owner-name truncate\" title=\"Go to Nelo Hotsuma's photostream\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/63122283@N06\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-track=\"attributionNameClick\">Nelo Hotsuma<\/a> (flickr);\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cura%C3%A7ao#\/media\/File:Flag_of_Cura%C3%A7ao.svg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wikipedia<\/a>;\u00a0 G King<\/p>\nMusic credit:\u00a0 Ray Holman\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n————-<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Cura\u00e7ao is one of the leading telecoms and ICT infrastructure hubs in the Caribbean, which tends to be overlooked by its Caribbean neighbours. Giovanni King of the Bureau Telecommunications and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":150987,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[355],"tags":[71,299,205,32,48,204,357,47],"class_list":["post-150981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-podcast","tag-businesses","tag-data-centres","tag-entrepreneurship-2","tag-information-society","tag-infrastructure","tag-innovation-2","tag-interviews","tag-ixp","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Curacao-Collage.jpg?fit=1024%2C583&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2iE1G-Dhb","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150981","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150981"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150981\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":150993,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150981\/revisions\/150993"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150987"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}