Caribbean IG and ICT Policy Solutions

Comment

Comment by Sheba Mohammid on March 3, 2011 at 10:29pm

Welcome Amanda! Nice to see you on board. Looking forward to some great discussions.

Comment by Sheba Mohammid on February 10, 2011 at 6:13pm

Hi Team,  Don't forget that the deadline for the online ACP IG Course for 2011 is this Saturday 12th February!! Check it out here http://www.diplomacy.edu/acp/

Comment by Vladimir Radunovic on December 1, 2010 at 5:26pm

Gerry, Derek, thanks for the reflection. Very relevant. So we might be withnessing the change in payment models soon then.

The note on "normal limits" is important. I guess this can be an important components in the IGF discussions also - defining (and updating regularly) what "normal limits" would be. Or, you think the market can regulate this itself? (users would move to those that give better limits...)

Comment by Derek Browne on November 29, 2010 at 7:58pm

In the Caribbean payment models are mostly full flat-rate. Personally I would favour a Data Cap model once the cap is feasible based on some overall assessment of usage by current customers. If the benefits are faster and more efficient Internet service then I support the Data Cap model. This move could create a new market for ISP who could provide special packages for heavy users through implementation of specific network infrastructure.

Comment by Gerry E. George on November 29, 2010 at 2:06pm

As a person who had looked into running an ISP in the region, I must say that data caps are definitely attractive for the provider, as it shifts the burden of bandwidth provisioning towards those who really need and use it. However, one must be careful that the "nominal limits" established as the base must be realistic so as to not be an attempt at milking the customer base, as will happen if those are set too low.

On the other hand, high-demand customers will generally seek to move to the providers of unlimited (all-you-can-eat) plans, thereby making those networks more loaded and slower......., forcing them to either raise their rates, or implement some kind of rate throttling or data caps themselves.

In other words, once it is introduced, it is only a mater of time before the rest of the market follows, or the providers who implement it are forced to remove it in order to continue to attract customers. The two regimes cannot easily co-exist in a very competitive landscape, unless the limits are carefully balanced to actually meet the needs of the customers as opposed to simply being revenue earning schemes.

Comment by Vladimir Radunovic on November 29, 2010 at 12:34pm

Related to our discussions in Tobago on Net Neutrality, I invite you to take a look at the post I made here, noticing (from a recent study mentioned there) that network operators might be considering Data Cap Broadband Plans (with limits in monthly downloads) as more realistic economic models than flat-rate.

I wonder what are the dominant trends with network operators in Caribbean when it comes to payment models - is it data caps or rather full flat-rate (no limits)? And what do you think is more fair/better from the user perspective?

Comment by Deirdre Williams on November 26, 2010 at 10:56pm

I wasn't there but I am very interested to join.

Comment by Virginia (Ginger) Paque on November 24, 2010 at 3:40pm

Have you been following the UN General Assembly discussion about the continuation of the Internet Governance Forum? This was posted to the Internet governance caucus list by Diplo's Stephanie Psaila--note that the text is not a 'public' document, but was posted by Steph with the permission of her 'source'.

The Second Committee is expected to adopt final text on November 30.

The final text of the draft resolution, dated November 19, can be viewed here: http://igbook.diplomacy.edu/2010/11/igf-renewal-a-step-closer-secon...

Your comments are most welcome.

Comment by Tracy Hackshaw on November 24, 2010 at 6:47am

Digital Inclusion

Here are some excellent documents provided by the UK Government on Digital Inclusion and suggesting a direction towards facilitating a "bottom-up" strategy. Some extremely useful issues discussed. Would be worth a while to have a look. I thought that some of the ideas expressed in these papers may have relevance in the Caribbean region.

An Analysis of International Digital Strategies - Why develop a dig...

Community Perspectives on Digital Inclusion - Qualitative Research ...

Delivering Digital Inclusion Annex - Public Sector Use of Informati...

Technology Futures and Digital Inclusion - Research Report.pdf

Understanding Digital Exclusion - A Research Report.pdf
Online Social Networks - Research Report.pdf

Comment by Tracy Hackshaw on November 24, 2010 at 6:35am

This is essential Reading. Internet Governance - Creating Opportunities for All: Proceedings of the Fourth Internet Governance Forum (Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, November 15-18, 2009)igf.sharm.book.final.pdf

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