Construction Advanced Under National Broadband Initiative

Ninety-five per cent of the construction of emergency fibre and microwave backbone under Phase 1 of the National Broadband Initiative is now complete.

The initiative aims to have every household and community connected to the Internet by 2025.

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon Daryl Vaz, said that “with this backbone along with the government wide area network, we’ll be able to provide more schools and critical government institutions with high-speed Internet access”.

The Minister was speaking at the Inaugural ICT Lecture and Workshop put on by the Universal Service Fund (USF) as part of its 17th anniversary week of activities. The event was held on Tuesday (May 17) at the University of Technology (UTech) in Kingston, under the theme ‘Broadening access through the use of technology’.

Minister Vaz reiterated the Government’s commitment to improving Jamaica’s Internet infrastructure as a critical pillar for the country’s advancement.

He said the Administration is cognisant that digital access “increases our knowledge base, facilitates trade and business, and improves the quality of life and prospects for our citizens”.

And, with Global technology conglomerate Cisco predicting that by 2023, there will be 5.3 billion global Internet users and that more than 70 per cent of the global population will have mobile connectivity from an estimated 3.6 global devices and connections per capita, the Minister is adamant that “Jamaica cannot be left behind”.

He noted that a national broadband strategy is to be developed, which will give keen focus to broadband demand and usage.

In addition to providing universal connectivity, the Government is digitising its services and moving away from paper-based systems “so that our citizens can conveniently access public services,” Minister Vaz said.

He informed that through the National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) project, the Government will revolutionise the way it does business and facilitate the creation and use of digital signatures for electronic transactions.

“This is critical for the transition to a paperless society,” he pointed out.

Minister Vaz commended USF for its work in bringing Internet access to communities.

Through the entity, approximately 300 community access points (CAPS) have been established in unserved and underserved areas of the country, in addition to 101 community Wi-Fi hotspots and 14 public Wi-Fi sites in major townships.

In her remarks, Minister of Education and Youth, Hon Fayval Williams, lauded the USF for being the main vehicle through which thousands of Jamaicans have been enabled to gain access to modern technological services.

She affirmed that the Government is continuing to work on improving the country’s Internet infrastructure and creating more CAP sites.

She pointed out that public- and private-sector firms are also making it easier for customers to conduct business online or without direct human contact, to ensure greater efficiency.