“We have established a six-month time frame for a report which will
indicate the legislative and regulatory changes necessary to have a single ICT
regulator”
Minister of State, Julian Robinson
addressing the opening ceremony for the 30th AGM (Annual General Meeting) of
the CANTO (Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organization)
in Montego Bay, St James on Sunday January 26 2014
The AGM CANTO started on Saturday January 25th 2014 and lasted
for about four (4) days. The theme for this shindig which was “Strategic
Alliances for Sustainable Broadband Development” was anything but about the
topic of conversation.
He going to be very well paid apparently; the Ministry of Science,
Technology, Energy and Mining has even swinging for some funding, (most likely
a loan!) from the IDB (Inter-American Development Bank) to pay for his
expertise!
According to this announcement, it’s slated for launch sometime in July
2014, with the Consultant being hired long before. This implies that he may
already be chosen and will commence working by the start of February 2014.
Clearly no love is lost on Valentine’s Day, I suppose!
The coming of the long vaulted Telecom Regulator has been long indeed. In
fact going back as far as 2011 when then Prime Minister Bruce Golding, then
leader of the JLP (Jamaica Labour) declared the need for one such as reported
in my Geezam blog article entitled “New
Telecom Act Coming for Jamaica – Providers surprised with their Own Regulator”.
Currently the ICT Sector is shepherded rather inefficiently by the
following trio of actors:
1.
SMA (Spectrum Management Authority)
2.
BCJ (Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica)
3.
OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation)
This in a bid to prevent another embarrassing snub by the International
Community of their 700MHz Spectrum offer as noted in my blog article
entitled “Jamaica's
700MHz Spectrum Auction fails to attract bidders on Friday October 11 2013 -
Jamaicans Lack interest in Broadband Internet and no Telecom Regulator for the
Sector”.
Already, signs are inkling to indicate that no-one is interested in the alternative
Spectrum for AWS (Advance Wireless Services) and WiMaX (Worldwide
Interoperability for microwave Access) as indicated in my blog article
entitled “GOJ
and MSTEM auctioning WiMaX and AWS Spectrum by Monday December 5th 2013 - AWS
for Point-to-point, Point-to-Multipoint Networks and Residential WiMaX for
Economic Prosperity”.
These blocks of fallow unused Spectrum are as follows:
1.
66 MHz in the 1800 MHz Band
2.
92 MHz in the 1900 MHz Band
3.
130 MHz in the 2.5/2.6 GHz Band
4.
50 MHz in the 1700/2100 MHz Band
First there’s the coming of additional Area Code for Jamaica to
facilitate Telecom and Dialup Services if a New Telecom Provider is to come
into the island as stated in my blog article
entitled “OUR
applies for new Area Code for Jamaica - Competition in Telecoms in the coming
Hunger Game Catching Fire of Mobile Computing”. No timeline has been mentioned
in the Media when this will be.
The coming of
MNP (Mobile Number Portability) and LNP (Landline Number Portability) by May
2014 as reported in my blog article
entitled “OUR
sets Cross-Network Rates at JA$1.10 as of Monday July 1 2013 - Everything is
Possible as we’re Zombies for Data World War Z” will also satisfy any New
Telecom Provider seeking to come to Jamaica and compete.
Now all that’s
need is for Jamaicans to really have an interest in Wireless Broadband Internet.
This development is worth tracking and I’ll keep following it as much as I can
as it’ll be interesting to see if this Consultant will be another politically
connected appointee or a foreigner paid with IDB Money.
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