TELECOMS giant Liberty Latin America — parent company of C&W Communications — has set its sights on increasing Internet connectivity across the region over the next year.

The target was outlined by John Winter, chief legal officer and senior vice-president of Liberty Latin America, at the 38th CANTO Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition held last week in Florida, USA.

According to Winter, the company is targeting 35,000 households to ramp up connectivity across the Caribbean. Of that number, C&W is aiming to connect 5,500 homes to the Internet in Jamaica.

“Connectivity is a fundamental right. We all have responsibility to the communities we operate and live in to accelerate connectivity in the Caribbean,” he stated, calling on operators, government, and other stakeholders to take collective responsibility in making universal access to Internet connectivity a reality.

Dependence on Internet connectivity has increased with acceleration in teleworking, telemedicine, distance learning, and remote entertainment. At the same time, capital investment in telecommunications and the information and communication technology sector increased from 0.5 per cent between 2010 and 2019 to 1.5 per cent between 2019 and 2020.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 Internet traffic has increased by approximately 30 per cent.

With this in mind, Winter pointed out that connectivity is a major lever for driving social and economic advancement, adding that estimates show that the information and communication technology sector could account for as much as 10 per cent of GDP.

However, he lamented that, “Although the price of connectivity has significantly decreased in the last decade, the cost of Internet connectivity remains unaffordable for many persons across the Caribbean.”

Moreover, he pointed out that the high cost of capital expenditure in the Caribbean — due in part to natural disasters — and the slow adaptation and mistrust of digital advancements are hurdles yet to be overcome.

During a panel discussion at the conference, CWC country managers spoke about the important role the company’s recently launched JUMP initiative will play in increasing connectivity. The initiative is a partnership with regional governments aimed at narrowing the digital divide by providing affordable and reliable connectivity, devices, and digital literacy training to the most vulnerable households in their respective countries.

Other panel discussions focused on telehealth and developing policies and frameworks for smart cities.

Another CWC executive, Head of Communications Marilyn Sealy, while delivering the headline sponsor remarks underscored the importance of connectivity in enabling the development of the region by powering government operations, supporting remote learning, facilitating digital business and e-commerce, and keeping customers connected.