Looks like Digicel and FLOW are finally getting some
competition.
This as a Third Telecom Provider is coming to Jamaica
as reported in the article “Jamaica
is soon to get another Telecom Provider”, published May 3 2016, The Jamaica Gleaner.
So says Finance Minister Audley Shaw during a Standing
Finance Committee of Parliament on Tuesday May 3rd 2016. He was
speaking on behalf of the Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining,
Dr. Andrew Wheatley.
This is a follow-on of an announcement made by the
previous Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Phillip Paulwell
in January 2016 as it relates to considering an incumbent Telecom Provider for
a Cellular license as reported in the article “CabinetConsidering Application for New Cellular Licence”, published January 28,
2016 By Chris Patterson, The
Jamaica Information Service.
Finally, we’ll be catching up with Guyana as GTT and
Digicel Guyana plan to launch 4G LTE in that country by Thursday May 26th
2016, Guyana National Independence Day as predicted in my Geezam blog article entitled “Digicel
and GTT 80 Mbps 4G LTE in Guyana hints at August 2016 Launch in Jamaica”.
So who is this mysterious Telecom Provider?
Telecom
Provider may be using White Space Spectrum – Conditions right for competition
Not sure who it is, but a clue fell into my lap on
Sunday May 1st 2016 when this ad appeared in the Sunday Gleaner.
Telecoms Implementation Services Limited is a
contractor that does provisioning on behalf of a Telecom Provider. The fact
that they put out this ad and coincidentally two (2) days later Finance
Minister Audley Shaw makes the announcement is no
coincidence. Also, I suspect, based on my sources that the Telecom Provider may
be using White Space Frequencies, those bands in-between NTSC (National
Television Standards Committee) signal to provide their services.
My sources, who drop me information ever so often,
pointed out to me that Digicel is using the 700 MHz band and FLOW is using the
1700 MHz and 2100 MHz AWS bands to provide their 4G LTE service respectively as
I've pointed out in my blog article
entitled “Why
FLOW Jamaica's 4G LTE Upgrade to counter Digicel Play needs islandwide LTE,
VDSL and DOCSIS 3.1”.
White Space frequencies area the only spectrum left
clear that can potential provide 4G speeds of 80 Mbps and faster that are
available. The presence of unlocked smartphones in the form of Huawei, Number
portability as noted in my blog article
entitled “Huawei
and Lasco to sell Unlocked dual-SIM smartphones - Why Number Portability means
Open Market for unlocked smartphone” makes Jamaica very attractive to
potential investors.
Ditto too the presence of Local IXP (Internet Exchange
Point) as explained in my blog article
entitled “Jamaica's
Local Internet Exchange Point - Why IXP makes browsers load faster and Jamaican
Domain Name Registration easier”.
So it may come as surprise that Microsoft is testing
out our White Space Spectrum.
Microsoft
testing White Space Spectrum in Jamaica – Laying a coming Telecom Provider
groundwork
This as Microsoft has been in the island testing out
Broadband Data Transmission with these White Space Spectrum using Park Hall
Primary and Infant School in Trout Hall, Clarendon as their guinea pig as
described in my blog
article entitled “How
White Space Testing by Microsoft at Park Hall Primary and Infant School heralds
80 MBps Competition in Jamaica”.
They may have been doing so for the past two (2)
years, as Microsoft has been in Jamaica for quite awhile. They've been in India
testing out White Space spectrum for broadband since 2014 as noted in the
article “Microsoft
to Bring Free Internet to India Using TV 'White Space'”, published November
11, 2014 by Anthony Cuthbertson, International Business Times of India.
Microsoft has since run into regulatory problems with
the Indian Government doesn't like the idea of Microsoft potentially becoming a
Telecom Provider using free spectrum as noted in the article “Microsoft's
plan to connect billions using 'White Space' runs into trouble”, published
February 24, 2016, By Rajiv Rao, ZDNet.
Despite accusations by the Indian Government,
Microsoft isn't planning on entering the Telecom Provider business. The same
may be true in Jamaica as I suspect they're just testing and mapping the
available White Space Spectrum and reporting their findings to the SMA
(Spectrum Management Authority).
So the new Telecom Provider is still unknown but it's
a strong possibility they'll be using White Spaces spectrum. It'll be
interesting to see who they may be and if White Space spectrum will feature in
their Telecoms Service.
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