An update of fixed-line, mobile/cellular and fixed-broadband Internet take up, plus a new entry, mobile/cellular broadband Internet take-up, across select Caribbean countries, as at the end of 2015.
We have been anxiously awaiting the release of the latest telecoms statistics from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which we use every year to examine the state of development of telecoms – in terms of subscriptions density – across the Caribbean. Table 1 lists the countries that were included in the exercise. Since our 2015 review, we have added Puerto Rico, to bring our total to 23 countries. Again it should be noted that Bonaire, Curaçao and Sint Maarten have not been included, as the needed data does not appear to be publicly available for those countries.
Table 1: List of countries surveyed for 2015 update on state of telecoms in the Caribbean (Source: ICT Pulse)
Approach
The results presented in rest of this piece were drawn from data published by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA), and comprised the following for countries across the Caribbean:
- density of fixed-line telephony subscriptions
- density of fixed broadband Internet subscriptions
- density of mobile/cellular telephony subscriptions
- density of mobile/cellular broadband Internet subscriptions.
It ought to be noted that both the ITU and GSMA depend on either the government or the telecoms firms to supply the data that is eventually published. Hence it is not clear the extent to which they corroborate or otherwise validate the data published, and neither have any explanations been given for any anomalies that might be evident.
The per capita Gross National Income (GNI) was drawn from databases managed by the United Nations (UN). The GNI is useful to get a sense of a country’s the level of development, based on the average income of its citizens, and consequently their likely wealth to support the take-up and use of telecoms services examined.
Results: Fixed-line telephony market
Across the Caribbean, there continues to be a wide disparity in fixed-line telephone subscription densities across the 23 countries examined. The highest subscriber densities were reported in Montserrat, at approximately 58 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants; followed by the Cayman Islands, with almost 56 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, and Barbados, with nearly 55 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Fixed-line telephone penetration in select Caribbean countries as at 2015 (Source: ITU, UN)
On the other hand, the lowest fixed-line telephony subscriber density was reported in Haiti, at approximately 4 subscriptions per 1000 inhabitants (not per 100); Belize, at about 6 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants; and Jamaica, at around 9 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.
Results: Fixed broadband Internet market
Data on fixed broadband Internet subscriptions in 2015 was available for 22 Caribbean countries, as opposed the 14 countries reported in our last review. The highest subscription density was recorded in Montserrat at nearly 116 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, but it is not shown in Figure 2 in order to better present the remaining results. At less than a third of the Montserrat figure, the next highest fixed broadband Internet subscription density was recorded in Anguilla, at over 34 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, followed by Saint Kitts and Nevis, at nearly 30 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.
Figure 2: Fixed broadband subscription densities in select Caribbean countries as at 2015 (Source: ITU, UN)
On the other hand, the lowest fixed broadband Internet subscription density was reported in Haiti, with considerably less than 0 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Haiti was followed by Cuba, with 7 subscriptions per 10,000 (not 100!) inhabitants, and thereafter, Belize, with nearly 3 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.
Results: Mobile/cellular market
Figure 3 shows the mobile/cellular subscription density in 22 Caribbean countries. Of those examined, 14 countries still reported mobile/cellular subscriptions densities over 100 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. The highest subscription density was found in the Suriname, at approximately 178 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Suriname was followed by Anguilla, at around 178 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, and Trinidad and Tobago, at nearly 158 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.
Figure 3: Mobile/cellular penetration in select Caribbean countries as at 2015 (Source: ITU, UN)
The lowest mobile/cellular subscriptions densities were recorded in Cuba, at nearly 30 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Belize has the second lowest of the group, at 49 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, followed by Haiti, with approximately 68 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Results: Mobile broadband Internet market
We have been able to source mobile broadband Internet subscription data for most Caribbean countries as at the end of 2015, which is shown in Figure 4. This metric covers both prepaid and post-paid mobile/cellular broadband subscriptions, but would not include Internet access by Wi-Fi.
Figure 4: Mobile broadband subscription densities in select Caribbean countries as at 2015 (Source: ITU, UN)
For the 21 countries examined, the highest subscription density was recorded in Suriname at around 60 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, and was followed by Puerto Rico and Aruba, with 47 and 43 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, respectively. On the other extreme, the lowest density was recorded in the British Virgin Islands, at 3 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. The British Virgin Islands was followed by Grenada, at 5 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, and Saint Lucia and the Turks and Caicos Islands, both with 7 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.
Results: Region-wide trends
Finally, Figure 4 shows the subscription density trends across the Caribbean over the past eight years, 2008—2016, for the fixed-line, mobile/cellular and fixed broadband Internet services.
Figure 5: Averaged fixed-line, mobile/cellular and fixed broadband Internet subscription penetration rates across the Caribbean from 2008—2015
The density of mobile/cellular subscriptions continues to outstrip considerably those for fixed-line telephony and fixed broadband Internet. For mobile/cellular and fixed broadband Internet, there growth was experienced between 2014 and 2015, whilst there was a marginal decline in average fixed-line subscription density in the region. At the end of 2015, subscriptions density for fixed-line voice and fixed Internet broadband were around a quarter and one-fifth that of mobile/cellular service, respectively.
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