<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><div>Do you know a recent public report/article like this for speed and costs stats for Africa?</div><div><br></div><div>Regards</div><div><br></div><div>Ken</div><br><div><div>Le 9 mai 2014 à 12:27, Ken Lohento <<a href="mailto:lohento@oridev.org">lohento@oridev.org</a>> a écrit :</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252"><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;">Hi, FYI see below a very interesting analysis from another developing region<br><div><br></div><div><div>Regards</div><div><br></div><div>Ken Lohento<br><div><br><div>Début du message réexpédié :</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>De: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica';">"Yacine Khelladi" <<a href="mailto:yacine@yacine.net">yacine@yacine.net</a>><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Objet: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica';"><b>[civic] Snapshot: 2014 update of Internet speeds and pricing across the Caribbean</b><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica';">8 mai 2014 19:36:30 UTC+2<br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>À: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica';">"Caribbean ICT stakeholders Virtual Community (CIVIC)" <<a href="mailto:civic@dgroups.org">civic@dgroups.org</a>><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Répondre à: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica';">"Caribbean ICT stakeholders Virtual Community (CIVIC)" <<a href="mailto:civic@dgroups.org">civic@dgroups.org</a>><br></span></div><br><div><div bgcolor="#FFFF99" text="#000000" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" border="1" width="600" style="position: static; z-index: auto;"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 24pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(23, 114, 175); font-weight: normal;">Snapshot: 2014 update of Internet speeds and pricing across the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Caribbean</st1:place></span></h1><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br><a href="http://www.ict-pulse.com/2014/05/snapshot-2014-update-internet-speeds-pricing-caribbean/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">http://www.ict-pulse.com/2014/05/snapshot-2014-update-internet-speeds-pricing-caribbean/</a><br><br></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><em><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"> <iframe id="twitter-widget-0" allowtransparency="true" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/tweet_button.1399506985.html#_=1399562775061&count=horizontal&id=twitter-widget-0&lang=en&original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ict-pulse.com%2F2014%2F05%2Fsnapshot-2014-update-internet-speeds-pricing-caribbean%2F&size=m&text=Snapshot%3A%202014%20update%20of%20Internet%20speeds%20and%20pricing%20across%20the%20Caribbean&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ict-pulse.com%2F2014%2F05%2Fsnapshot-2014-update-internet-speeds-pricing-caribbean%2F&via=ictpulse" class="twitter-share-button twitter-tweet-button
twitter-share-button twitter-count-horizontal" title="Twitter Tweet Button" data-twttr-rendered="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="height: 20px; width: 110px;"></iframe>A 2014 update of fixed Internet broadband speeds and pricing across the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Caribbean</st1:place>, and a brief comparison with our 2013 results.</span></em><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">As the Internet becomes increasingly important across the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Caribbean</st1:place>, the telecoms providers across the region are continually adjusting and refining their offerings in that market. Since 2011, we have been tracking fixed Internet broadband speeds and pricing across the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Caribbean</st1:place>. This year is no different. Again, we are updating our findings, and highlighting some of the changes that have occurred since the 2013 exercise.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style="margin: 15pt 0in 3.75pt; font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: normal;">Methodology<o:p></o:p></span></h3></o:smarttagtype><div align="center"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span><clip_image002.jpg></span><o:p></o:p></span></div></o:smarttagtype></div><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"><p class="wp-caption-text" align="center" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Table 1: List of ISPs surveyed for 2014 Snapshot exercise (Source: ICT Pulse)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Data for this review was collected from the websites of widely used Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the countries covered. To the extent possible, two ISPs were examined in each country (Table 1), and the exercise focussed on fixed/wired (non-dialup) Internet services, and on service plans for domestic/residential customers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">The offerings from the ISPs varied drastically with respect to transmission speeds, hence the exercise was limited to identifying (per country):<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 5.25pt 22.5pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span>1.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span dir="LTR"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">the lowest advertised download speed and the corresponding lowest monthly rate<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 5.25pt 22.5pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span>2.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span dir="LTR"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">the highest advertised download speed and the corresponding lowest monthly rate<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 5.25pt 22.5pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span>3.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span dir="LTR"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">the monthly rate for a plan with an advertised download speed of 2 Mbps (Megabits per second), and<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 5.25pt 22.5pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span>4.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span dir="LTR"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">the highest download speed plan that can be purchased for no more than USD 60.00 per month.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Under International Telecommunications Union standards, between 1.5 and 2 Mbps is considered the threshold speed for classifying an Internet service as broadband. Hence 2 Mbps has been used as a baseline reference for the comparisons performed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Finally, it is emphasised that the review focused on the monthly rates payable for the specified Internet plans only. The exercise excluded initial subscription and activation fees, as well as any additional monthly charges that might be applicable. The rates were converted to United States Dollars (USD) when required, based on current commercial exchange rates. Applicable taxes, such as Value Added Tax (VAT) or General Consumption Tax (GST), have also been included.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style="margin: 15pt 0in 3.75pt; font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: normal;">May 2014 results<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">In this our 2014 review of Internet speed and spend across the Caribbean, we have widened the pool from 16 to 19, by including Aruba, Curacao and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Suriname</st1:place></st1:country-region>, from the Dutch Caribbean. Table 2 shows the minimum and maximum advertised download speeds available in those countries, and the corresponding best rates offered for those packages.<o:p></o:p></span></p></o:smarttagtype><div align="center"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span><clip_image003.jpg></span><o:p></o:p></span></div></o:smarttagtype></div><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"><p class="wp-caption-text" align="center" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Table 2: Lowest and highest advertised download speeds and the corresponding best rates in select<st1:place w:st="on">Caribbean</st1:place><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>countries as at May 2014 (Source: ISP websites)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">In 12 of the 19 countries surveyed, the lowest download speeds offered is under 2 Mbps, but Aruba Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos Islands, have Internet packages with download speeds as low as 128 kbps. Fifteen countries offer broadband packages with a maximum advertised download speed of at least 8 Mbps. The exceptions are<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on">Antigua and Barbuda</st1:country-region>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on">Guyana</st1:country-region>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on">Saint Vincent and the Grenadines</st1:country-region><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Suriname</st1:place></st1:country-region>. However, ISPs in Curacao, Grenada, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are offering customers Internet plans with advertised download speeds of up 100 Mbps, and in Barbados, a160 Mbps plan has been advertised.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">With regard to the best price across the region for a broadband Internet plan with an advertised download speed of up to 2 Mbps, Figure 1 ranks the best prices offered by country. It is highlighted that<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Guyana</st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>has been excluded from this assessment as the ISPs included in this review have not published pricing for a 2Mbps plan – the fastest plan is 1 Mbps. The lowest advertised price was recorded in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on">Trinidad and Tobago</st1:country-region>, at USD 21.63, and is followed by Curacao, USD 24.51, and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jamaica</st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>at USD 28.18. On the other hand, the highest prices for a 2 Mbps plan, USD 121.22, was recorded in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on">Belize</st1:country-region>, and was followed by the British Virgin Islands (USD 84.00) and the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Turks and Caicos islands</st1:place><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(USD 83.00). The average price across the Caribbean region for a 2 Mbps Internet plan, excluding<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Guyana</st1:place></st1:country-region>, is now USD 48.81.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span><clip_image004.jpg></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><p class="wp-caption-text" align="center" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Figure 1: Monthly rates payable for an Internet plan with an advertised download speed of 2 Mbps for select<st1:place w:st="on">Caribbean</st1:place><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>countries as of May 2014 (Source: ISP websites)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">To assess “bang for buck”, and in each country, we sought to determine what might be fastest Internet broadband plan a customer could purchase for no more than USD 60.00 per month. The results are shown in Figure 2.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span><clip_image005.jpg></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><p class="wp-caption-text" align="center" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Figure 2: Best Internet plan by advertised download speed for under USD 60.00 in select<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Caribbean</st1:place><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>countries as of May 2014 (Source: ISP websites)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">The fastest plan was found in the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bahamas</st1:place></st1:country-region>, where for USD 56.99, the monthly subscription for a plan with an advertised download speed of up to 30 Mbps could be secured. The next fastest plans, 25 Mbps, were found in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on">Jamaica</st1:country-region><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Barbados</st1:place></st1:country-region>, at approximately USD 39.86 and USD 50.00, respectively.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">On other hand, the slowest Internet plan, 512 kbps, was recorded in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Belize</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and would cost approximately USD 44.45. The next slowest plans, 1 Mbps, were recorded in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on">Guyana</st1:country-region>, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antigua and Barbuda</st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>at approximately USD 49.10, USD 53.00, and USD 54.50, respectively.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style="margin: 15pt 0in 3.75pt; font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: normal;">Comparison with 2013 results<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Within the past year, a number of important changes have occurred in Internet speed and pricing across the<st1:place w:st="on">Caribbean</st1:place>. First, a few countries, specifically, the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on">Bahamas</st1:country-region><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Cayman Islands</st1:place><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>have increased the download speed of their slowest plan, from 1Mbps, to 2 Mbps. Second, the fastest advertised download speed has increased in three countries:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 5.25pt 22.5pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span>·<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span dir="LTR"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Barbados</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– from 100 Mbps, to 160 Mbps<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 5.25pt 22.5pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span>·<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span dir="LTR"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Cayman Islands</span></st1:place><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– from 8 Mbps, to 25 Mbps<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 5.25pt 22.5pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span>·<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span dir="LTR"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Grenada</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– from 12 Mbps, to 100 Mbps<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Additionally, there have been some significant changes in the Internet pricing in the region. Figure 3 shows the difference in pricing between May 2013 and May 2014 for an Internet plan with an advertised download speed of 2 Mbps. The change in pricing ranged from an increase of almost +14% in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on">Saint Vincent and the Grenadines</st1:country-region>, to a decrease of almost -40% in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Trinidad and Tobago</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);"><span><clip_image006.jpg></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><p class="wp-caption-text" align="center" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Figure 3: Percentage change in monthly rates between May 2013 and May 2014 for an Internet plan with an advertised download speed of 2 Mbps in select Caribbean countries (Source: ICT Pulse)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Finally, in averaging the price for a 2 Mbps plan across all of the countries surveyed (but excluding Guyana, as per the reason provided above), the averaged price dropped by USD 5.22 since May 2013. Between May 2012 and May 2013, the decrease in the average price across the region was USD 11.34, which is more than twice what occurred within the past year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 7.5pt 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43);">Based on the results recorded over the past three years, 2012—2014, the rate of decline in the pricing of a 2 Mbps plan may be slowing down. However, the extent to which such a trend can be confirmed remains to be seen, as the cost of technology continues to drop and local ISPs aim to remain competitive.<o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(44, 43, 43); background-color: black; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">f</span></div></span></o:smarttagtype></td></tr></tbody></table><br><div style="margin-top: 1em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><small><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You are receiving this message because you are a member of the community<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://dgroups.org/groups/civic" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Caribbean ICT stakeholders Virtual Community (CIVIC)</a>.</p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="https://dgroups.org/_/ra82q296" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">View this contribution on the web site</a></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A reply to this message will be sent to all members of Caribbean ICT stakeholders Virtual Community (CIVIC).</p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="mailto:yacine@yacine.net" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Reply to sender</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>|<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:leave.civic@dgroups.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Unsubscribe</a></p></small></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br></body></html>