Government Seeking to Provide More Affordable Broadband Service

The Government is looking to provide more affordable broadband service to more Jamaicans in underserved communities across the country.

This was stated by Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with direct oversight for Skills, Digital Transformation and Information, Senator the Hon. Dr. Dana Morris Dixon, during the eGov Digital Public Service Strategic Discussion at Jamaica House on June 26.

“We need to be able to get access at a reasonable cost to as many people as possible, and that is what we’re looking at. As government, we’re looking at a possible PPP (public-private partnership) through our broadband project. We have a lot of infrastructure now, and so we can leverage that so that a third party will be incentivised to provide internet service, broadband service to those in communities that are underserved, and so we’re working through those details,” the Minister said.

“We have the IFC (International Finance Corporation) working with us to look at how we can actually get cheaper broadband to the people of Jamaica,” she added.

The Minister said this will further enhance the service being provided in town centres and will enable persons to access more affordable internet service in their homes as well as increase digital inclusion in the country.

“What we’ve done in the interim is to have a lot of community hotspots. It’s really putting in Wi-Fi in communities across the country, and eGov, NWA (National Works Agency) and USF (Universal Service Fund) have been a big part of all of that, but that’s not enough. That’s not going to be enough because you have to be in the town centre. A lot of times it’s in a bus park or in a particular central area, but what about that child who is doing homework late at night and their house is not right in the middle of the town,” she said.

Senator Morris Dixon noted that the provision of the broadband service is critical, as studies have indicated that internet service in the country is “quite pricey” for the ordinary person.