Transcript CANTO_Presentation--_CEO_CTO 14 Jul 08

CONNECT THE CARIBBEAN
A Way Forward
CANTO 24th Annual
Conference
Nassau, Bahamas
Presented By
Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah
Chief Executive Officer, CTO
ICT’s Economic Importance
% ICT Contribution to GDP
•
Globally, ICT spending is
estimated at US$3 Trillion
•
Growing at an average of
8.9% per annum
•
Representing 6.8% of Global
GDP.
•
ICT Growth has to be a part
of a strategic plan which
drives an economy
•
Essential part of Global
Market Participation.
14.00%
12.00%
Ireland
10.00%
Finland
8.00%
US
6.00%
Jamaica
4.00%
EU Average
Germany
Denmark
Italy
France
Germany
EU Average
Jamaica
Italy
US
0.00%
Finland
France
Ireland
2.00%
Denmark
ICTs for the Public Interest
• ICTs are integral for empowering citizens, promoting
economic growth and even saving lives
– Universal Access – connectivity for all
– E-Government Services
o
o
G2G, G2B & G2C - Social services
Online tools for business community
– Disaster Response
o
o
Meteorological, geological monitoring
Early warning systems are vital, and the rapid deployment of robust
systems after the event saves lives
• Innovation and NGNs
– Meeting the growing demand for essential ICT services
– Encouraging industry innovation
Creating an Enabling Environment
• Policy and Regulatory Harmonization
– Harmonization of policies and regulations in the region
– Spectrum policy, Competition
• Building Infrastructure
– Capacity, now and in the future
– Infrastructure development - optimum approach
– Wired & Wireless technologies
– Facilitating Investments
• Human Capacity Building and Training
Addressing Policy & Regulation
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•
•
•
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Harmonization of Telecommunication Regulation
Harmonization of Electronic Transaction Act
Spectrum Policy (speed, capacity, price, etc)
Competition Policy
Last Mile Issues wired and wireless
– Undersea optical-fibre cable, terrestrial wireless and satellite links
• Creating inward investment environment
Focus on Rural Connectivity
• Despite major ICT advances, 70%-plus of Commonwealth
developing countries unconnected, mostly rural communities
including Small Island States (SIDs)
• CTO is focused on this segment for special support
• Conferences on Connecting Rural Communities for Africa and
Asia regurlarly being held
• Commonwealth African Rural Connectivity Initiative launched
(COMARCI), and Phase I Completed, Phase II underway
– Identification of 10 pilots – best practices for replication
• Commonwealth Universal Access/ Service Funds Forum
– CTO facilitating formation of Commonwealth Association
Policy / Regulatory Framework
• Convergence & technology-neutral Licensing
• Fair and optimal frequency allocation/management
• Addressing significant market power issues (SMP) and
promoting fair competition
• Maintaining open and competitive markets in infrastructure
and services, including Open Access Networks
• Encouraging PPP innovation and long-term investment
• Removing barriers to the development of emerging markets
• Ensuring proportionality to regulation, including forbearance
• Ensuring the optimal balance in spectrum management
• Ensuring Consumer protection and QoS
• Funding/role challenges for PSBs and community radios
Addressing Infrastructure Needs
• Capacity and bandwidth needs
• Infrastructure development
• Wired and wireless
– Undersea optical-fibre cable, terrestrial wireless and satellite links
• Ensuring redundancy and resiliency as networks converge
• Looking ahead to anticipate future demand and requirements
• Facilitating Investments through Public-Private Partnership
– Creating Regional Body and working with Caribbean development bank
to bring about low cost regional fibre network similar to NEPAD Africa ecommission with group of 22 African countries
– CTO can help to facilitate a Regional protocol for the Caribbean countries
to bring this about
Wireline
DSL
Wireless
Connectivity Delivery Modes
Fixed
Wireless
Cable
Modem
Fiber
Power
Line
Satellite
3G
Cellular
Wireless
LAN
Caribbean Fibre Connectivity
Caribbean Connectivity Issues
In the Caribbean: businesses and households have fixed,
mobile, broadband connection which can be satellite, cable,
DSL, WiFi, or WiMax, and Blackberrys
• Most Caribbean countries still have a duopoly which requires as much
regulation on monopolies.
• The demand elasticity and the economics of the benefits of new networks
must be clearly understood and where competition policy needs to be
applied.
• Wholesale and Interconnection regulations and prices have to be controlled
by the regulators reflecting the correct price.
• Ultimately we have to get the regulations right to complement it with a
business environment and an enlightened highly skilled human resources
Enhancing Human Capacity
• Public consultation on regulatory reform held to encourage citizen
understanding and participation
• Citizen technology education – taking advantage of ICTs
• Industry training initiatives – equipping the workforce for the
information society
• Faciliting local investment for national incubators programme
• CTO as a Development Partner – through its programme of
development and training (PDT) as well as exchange of knowledge
and experiences through CTO’s international events
Developing for
e-Business Services
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•
•
•
•
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Enhanced Cellular
Music Downloads
Best Practice VoIP
IPTV
Satellite
Web 2.0
Developing National
e-Government operations
• E- Development Initiative
– E-Customs (on line filing)
– E-Taxation (on line filing)
– E-Budget Preparation
– Gov e-mail services
– Gov. Web Portal
– E-Civil Registry
– E-Business Registry
– E-Land Registry
– E-Procurement
– E-Agricultural Depots
– E-Commerce
– E-Education
– E-Health
Conclusion
• Need for convergence in Policy, Regulation,
Operations and Technology driven partly by
consumers
• Privatisation, competition lowering prices
• New market entrants, consolidation, standardisation
promoting wider choices
• Content development, social networks, mobile,
Internet and rural comms brings all closer
• CTO and CANTO should strengthen collaboration
• CTO can facilitate Regional backbone development
to bring about Universal Access to broadband for all
THANK YOU
Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah
CEO, CTO
www.cto.int
London, UK