Cable Modem Internet Access Offers More Competitive Broadband Rates in the Caribbean; with DSL and Fixed Line Wireless Technology Prices Between 48% and 61% More Expensive. This is just one of the findings from a recent Signals Telecom Consulting study that covers South and Central America, and analyzes the pricing strategy of 56 broadband operators in 24 markets in the Caribbean Basin and Bermuda.
The report also found that “aggressive offers by CATV operators like Flow Communications in markets such as Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago have forced fixed line incumbents such as LIME and TSTT to restructure their broadband offer, lowering prices and increasing speeds. The launch of WiMAX by operators such as Digicel in the Cayman Islands will drive a reduction in the rates for wireless broadband.”
The Signals Telecom Consulting study also revealed that “the maximum average speed for broadband offered in the Caribbean is 3Mbps.” Nevertheless, there is a growing trend by CATV operators to offer faster speeds to enable them to improve their positioning versus DSL suppliers and wireless accesses. Furthermore, the offer of high broadband speeds allows operators such as Cable Bahamas, Caribbean Cable Communications (Anguilla and St. Kitts & Nevis) and Flow Communications (Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica) to provide voice and video packages in those market where permitted by regulations” indicated Juan Gnius, Vice President of Signals Telecom Consulting and co-author of the study.
The report highlights the fact that wireless fixed line access operators have registered the threat they could face from mobile Internet access via UMTS/HSPA networks, and at 4Q08 are making offers more in line with the cabled variants. “The principal impact of the increased competition in broadband offer has been a reduction in rates and greater service availability. Nevertheless, operators such as Digicel and Flow Communications will be seeking ways to increase their differentiation by means of the launch of value-added services, local content and alliances with local service providers in each market. This will enable them to successfully confront any future packaging of DSL services on UMTS/HSPA by operators such as TSTT, LIME and UTS, among others,” stated Jose F. Otero, President of Signals Telecom Consulting and co-author of the study.
Markets covered: Anguilla,
Antigua & Barbuda,
Aruba,
Bahamas,
Barbados,Belize,
Bermuda,
Bonaire,
British Virgin Islands,
Cayman Islands,
Curaçao,
Dominica,
French West Indies/French Guyana
,Grenada,
Guyana,
Jamaica, Saba,
St. Eustatius,
St. Kitts & Nevis,
St. Lucia
,St. Maarten,
St Vincent & the Grenadines,
Suriname,
Trinidad & Tobago and
Turks & Caicos.
