The vision of Barbados as a 24-hour work hub has moved closer to reality as the Barbados Entrepreneurship Foundation (BEF) reports that almost 60 per cent of the island is now wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) accessible. This was the position achieved by November 11, the target date initially set one year ago by the BEF to achieve full island-wide free internet access.
While acknowledging that they had fallen short of this ambitious target, the private sector-led foundation was pleased to report that their concerted efforts had transformed the island from a position of about 1 per cent free wireless access to almost 60 per cent access. Chief executive officer of the BEF, Damian McKinney, noted that the target was a critical one in the development of Barbados as a business hub.
He said: “The project is fundamental to propelling Barbados to the center of global business with the incremental proliferation of free Wi-fi hotspots, which in turn will enable new business opportunities and innovations.” He highlighted that while Barbados enjoys a literacy rate of an estimated 99.7 per cent, it is now an indisputable fact that Internet literacy is the new necessary paradigm. Indeed, information technology capability and capacity is the single most important transformational force that Barbados can harness, now, when seeking to compete for the lifeblood that is global market share.
The initiative, branded: 11.11.11 Wi-Fi Barbados—Wi Not, was made possible through the collaboration of government, private sector, public sector, labour and telecommunications providers. It was a project of the BEF’s business facilitation pillar led by Melanie Jones, a partner at regional law firm Lex Caribbean and the first vice-president of the Barbados International Business Association.
Lex Caribbean was one of the keys to the success of the initiative when in May this year it created a guest network accessible up to one kilometre west and north of their offices in Worthing, Christ Church. With Lex Caribbean, the issue of security was extensively researched. They confirmed they have had no compromises to their own internal speeds and functionality since doing this. Moreover, they are throwing a signal that can be accessed some distance from their office.
They have received no complaints or concerns about any adverse impact upon other operators within the same band. The BEF stated it is also working to Wi-Fi enable all of the island’s community centres, and so far 15 of them have been furnished with the necessary equipment and now have fully operational free Wi-Fi networks. (Caribbean360)
