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Jamaica Profile
Jamaica in the
Wikipedia
Jamaican history, politics, map, geography, economy,
demography, full information and links.
Jamaica in the CIA
Factbook
Jamaica information about the economy, geography,
government,
population, communications, military and transnational
issues.
BBC Jamaica
Profile
Up to date resume about Jamaican leaders,
history, main events,
map, flag, geography, news, politics and media links.
Jamaica e-Government Page
The Gabinet Office of Jamaica portal, with many useful
links.
Jamaica Globalis
Page
Jamaican statistics for agriculture, climate, economy,
education, environment,
gender equality, health, human development, population,
technology, and water.
Telecommunications Reports for
The Caribbean Region
Caribbean Telecommunications
Market - Anguilla to Bermuda Report
This report provides an overview of the telecom markets in
Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados and
Bermuda. It includes information about fixed-line and mobile
operators, Internet providers, regulatory background and state of
liberalisation.
See summary and table of
contents
Caribbean Telecommunications
Market - British Virgin Islands to Monserrat
Report
This report provides an overview of the telecom markets in
British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada,
Guadeloupe, Martinique and Montserrat. It includes information
about fixed-line and mobile operators, Internet providers,
regulatory background and state of liberalisation. See summary and table of
contents
Caribbean Telecommunications
Market - Netherlands Antilles to US Virgin
Islands
This report provides an overview of the telecom markets in
Netherlands Antilles, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent
& the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos,
and the US Virgin Islands. Covers fixed-line and mobile
operators, Internet providers, regulatory background and state of
liberalisation. See summary and table of
contents
Caribbean Telecoms Market
Overview and Statistics
Almost all Caribbean countries offer a full range of telecom
services, despite being characterised by small markets in terms
of population. Liberalisation agreements have been reached in
most countries. The major mobile players are the incumbent Cable
& Wireless and Digicel which, in June 2005, agreed to acquire
all the Caribbean operations of Cingular Wireless. The
region’s mobile subscriber base is concentrated in the
hands of these two major players, with only a few smaller
companies edging their way into the newly liberalised markets.
This Paul Budde report provides an overview of the
Caribbean’s telecom sector accompanied by relevant
statistics and a brief profile of the major players. See report table of
contents
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Broadband and Consumer E-Commerce
in Jamaica
May 2006 Review
Jamaica's Minister of Industry,
Commerce, Science and Technology (with Energy), Phillip Paulwell,
emphasized the need for Jamaica and the rest of the region to
continue on a path of progress in information communication
technology (ICT) development. The Minister, who was speaking at
the May 17 opening ceremony of the World Telecommunication Day
Symposium at the Hilton Kingston, noting that with the
developments taking place across the globe, "it is imperative
that we take stock of where we are, and where we need to be in
terms of ICT development."
"International Telecommunications Union (ITU) statistics," he
added, "show that over the last 10 years, the digital divide
between the developing and the developed countries has been
narrowing in terms of fixed telephone lines, mobile subscribers
and Internet users."
Locally, he said, there has been tremendous growth in cellular
subscription since the liberalization process started in 2000,
moving from about 70,000 subscribers to over two million at
present. "Mobile penetration in Jamaica exceeds that of the rest
of the Caribbean and indeed the rest of the western hemisphere,"
Minister Paulwell noted.
In terms of E-readiness, the Minister informed that Jamaica has
made tremendous progress and was now "behind the United States,
Canada, Brazil and Chile in terms of our E-readiness for this
region", and was "looking forward to overtaking them as the first
developing country to do so in the region."
Speaking of Internet use in Jamaica, Minister Paulwell stated
that, "Internet penetration rates in Jamaica have remained behind
those found in more dynamic markets, especially Asia, presenting
a serious obstacle to the realization of the government's
objectives to develop a strong and effective ICT sector."
He said that the mission now, "is to move away from the focus on
voice and instead to try in greater earnest to ensure that we
have the infrastructure for supporting a knowledge-based
society."
Fibre optic and wireless broadband technology were recently
introduced to the island, and since the liberalisation process in
2000, growth in cellular mobile subscribers increased from
approximately 300,000 subscribers to nearly two million today.
Mobile penetration in Jamaica exceeds that of the rest of the
Caribbean and even North America, with the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) world telecommunications index for
2005 indicating a mobile penetration rate of 82.2 per cent,
according to the technology minister.
The three-day symposium, which was hosted by the Caribbean
Telecommunications Union (CTU) in association with Mona School of
Business, concluded May 19, 2006.
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