Director of Telecommunications, Bennet Thomas, has announced a drop in mobile penetration rate in Dominica from 143 percent in 2013 to 107 percent in 2015.
Thomas made the disclosure while addressing Digicel’s 10th Anniversary launching ceremony held recently. He was at the time representing Minister for Information, Science, Telecommunications and Technology, Kelver Darroux.
According to him, many Dominicans have benefited from quality jobs in the ICT sector.
“The country has seen a mobile penetration rate of a 143 percent in 2013 and by the way, we have gotten a drop to 107 percent in 2015…fixed broadband penetration in the same period from 14.7 percent to 20.9 percent,” he said.
He challenged Digicel, together with other players in the telecoms sector, to work collaboratively with the government through the recent initiative of establishing a broadband strategy for the country, “to significantly seek to increase the broadband penetration to at least 95 percent by January 2017.”
“It sounds like a very aggressive agenda but it can be done because if you know Dominica well we have actually three players on the ground, all of them seem to have a fibre network around the country, so when we say a 95 percent penetration broadband that is possible by 2017,” Thomas stated.
He further stated that it will not be farfetched should the government anticipate even greater benefits to consumers, “whether in reduction in per minute charges, termination of roaming rates both locally and regionally and continued investment in national developmental activities and projects.”
Thomas indicated further that the Government will continue to provide the necessary enabling environment to facilitate inwards investment in the sector and would be pleased to see scholarships granted to exceptional students to pursue courses in ICT and other related disciplines either at the Dominica State College (DSC) or the Centre of Information Technology which will open its doors soon at the DSC.
He further challenges Digicel to help to expand the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurial philosophy into the young people in Dominica, in order to continue the competitive spirit within the ICT Sector.
Read that carefully
“to significantly seek to increase the broadband penetration to at least 95 percent by January 2017.” and “Government for its part will continue to provide the necessary enabling environment to facilitate inward investment in the sector” The truth is the telecom providers have been playing their part dropping their rates for services over the years. But the NTRC continues to maintain their high license fees, spectrum fees and Universal Service Fund (USF) fees. Ask them if they ever dropped these fees. Not once. Not once. They want the providers to play their part but they don’t want to play their part. Both sides have to contribute.
This person Director of Telecommunications, Bennet Thomas…what does he do on a day to day basis?? Whether that position is there or if it just disappeared tomorrow nobody would even notice. Just another shirt and tie filling a seat and drawing a salary.
I think the mobile ‘data plans’ the companies have are weird.
Well in Marketing they always tell you that every product or service has a life cycle (Product Life Cycle).
I believe the mobile market has matured. Unless they can bring out some new technique to lengthen the life cycle of the mobile market, it will be on a continuous downward spiral. Right now, people are not even purchasing their smart phones in Dominica. Even with the 17% charged on every $100 hundred dollars at the Customs, people are still paying it, because the quality of the phones the companies are selling for the kind of money they charging, is best you take that same money and send for your phone overseas.
So, I’m not too surprised that mobile penetration is lessening.
yow i on st.lucia and we eh even getting the good stuff and internet is 90 and cable is 80 plus and we deny alot of the good stuff a set of stupid channels
To be honest, Digicel Play is yet to be launched in SLU ( and i sometimes wonder why?)
I won’t even comment on flow St. Lucia.
I am presently tuned to Spectra ( a St. Lucian Owned Digital TV company) that’s also operating in SVG.
Can’t believe that Dominican has a better Fibre Optic Network than us.
SMH!
I think the article should explain what is meant by mobile penetration. My thought is it is the percentage of the population owning a mobile phone., or the number of mobile connections to the population. (I hope that’s correct). 143% and even 107% would suggest that, there were more mobile phones in Dominica than people.
If I’m wrong maybe someone can correct me
You are right there is more cell phone than the population. To drop from 143% in 2013 to 107% in 2015 would suggest that less consumers have two phones and the reasons can be they cannot afford to maintain two cell phones and or they are willing to pay for the internet connection charge and have one cell phone. The cost for a good cell phone with features for email, whatsapp, photos, web surfing, storage of data and pictures, etc are sold too expensive by the service providers and can only afford one cellphone.
The regulators, ECTEL should declare the entire OECS one spectrum space with no roaming charge. All calls to be treated as a local call as obtains in the USA almost all phone packages can made calls across the USA as local calls. The government may want to resist this because they will loos revenue on charges for each call.
The question arise with 107% mobile penetration what percentage of this has mobile broadband?
Therefore that maybe the reason for the low penetration for fixed broadband as folks may have mobile broadband or don’t have the disposable income to buy fixed or Mobile Broadband.
I think the drop in mobile penetration from 143% to 107% is good news because it shows that less people feel the need to carry around 2 phones which was driven by the price to call between networks.
So the consumers are certainly benefiting and getting better value for money…….
NOTE: Not meaning prices cannot be still better.
I wonder whether people stopped carrying two phones because calls between carriers stopped being stupidly expensive, or whether it’s more that people use OTT services like WhatsApp as a way of avoiding those calls altogether.
well the cost of these mobile/internet broadband facilities are still too stiff in Dominica
after all the years why would a telecom provider not be able to give a basic package affordable with real high speed under $50 box monthly….
it boils down to economic situation on island, many start off esp with net packages but can’t cope in the end, they have to disconnect, in today’s Dominica…
plus some providers don’t give the customer the real high speed they boast about, in Dominica at least 55% of the service is horrible, but then the companies boast about top quality service. do they conduct real surveys to verify that or just sit back at their head ends and figure things up to par, there are numerous issues still to be addressed on island in terms of quality of service!!
Mobile penetration? No wonder it is down because that must be very awkward. That is why there are fewer monkeys than human beings, you ever tried to have sex in a tree? Go figure!
That is such a stupid phrase to use. Honestly, they need to talk to their P.R. people.
you know why it drop it’s because of those crazy and nonsense data rates
Amen! That is a rip off.
to significantly seek to increase the broadband penetration to at least 95 percent by January 2017.”
but what mr saying nuh. 2017 is next year we.
broadband going to be following like water?
Everything under Skerritt is declining.How low can we go before people take back their country.When the situation is right the leaders will arise.It can’t be too much longer
Foolish Jonathan, how low can you go?? SMDFH!!!!! Everybody has 2 cell phones obviously a penetration of 143% can be regarded as the saturation peak its obvious from then on it will be a downward cycle.
Skerrit name is always right there on all you people lip!!!! even if Lennox was PM the data would have reflected the same what would have been your comment? THAT HATRED FOR SKERRIT HAS OVERRIDDEN ALL YOUR ABILITY TO THINK!!!!!! Very Sad I must say!!!!
Joe, if people hate Skerrit as much as you say, ask yourself why that is so.
Did you read and understand the article? I believe you saw the word “declined” and you ran with it.