63 More Wi-Fi Hotspots Coming

The Universal Service Fund (USF) will be installing 63 additional WI-FI hotspots across the island in the new financial year, which begins April 1.

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Daryl Vaz, made the disclosure during the recent launch of a community hotspot at the Buff Bay Primary School in Portland.

He said that despite some delays due to supply chain challenges “we have finally rolled out the 189 community Wi-Fi hotspots that we committed to in the last financial year and to top that off, we have another 63 that have to be completed (in 2023/2024)”.

“So, it means that connectivity is coming so much closer to a number of rural communities,” he said.

He noted that the free, secured hotspots are “a vital instrument in providing access to technology and information to all Jamaicans, regardless of their social, economic, or geographic locations”.

During the ceremony held at Buff Bay Primary, Lifespan Company Limited handed over six smart boards to the institution.

Also on the day, the Minister journeyed to Windsor Castle where he opened a community access point (CAP) established by the USF.

The facility, which is equipped with computers and other devices and accessories, will serve as an Internet access point for all members of the community.

The Minister noted the importance of the CAP sites in enabling connectivity in several rural communities and providing the foundation for digital literacy for all Jamaicans.

“I am well aware of the importance of the community access points, which are computer labs established in communities that serve as crucial link between the community and the digital world by providing access to information and communication technologies (ICT). They are essential for digital inclusion and the empowerment of the citizenry in the digital age in which we live,” he said.

Meanwhile, as the Government ramps up connectivity, the Minister urged the USF to do a cost benefit analysis to see “what better we can do to serve more communities and get more people connected”.

“It is important because it is a lot of money that is being spent and it is taxpayers’ money, so we have to make sure that we get a return on investment and we are not wasting limited resources,” he said, noting that the facility at Windsor Castle will be monitored over the next three to six months.

The USF is mandated to increase Internet access and the use of ICT devices to unserved, underserved and rural communities to facilitate greater digital inclusion.

This is through strategic initiatives such as community Wi-Fi and CAP sites.