Economical, social & educational impacts of telecoms liberalization

Greetings Colleagues,

In your opinion, 

1.What other social, economical and educational impacts has the liberalization of telecommunications had on Jamaicans and Jamaica as a whole?  

2.How has the liberalization of telecommunication impacted your life and that of your community and family?

3.Can you think of one telecoms related task that you are able to perform today that was not possible before 2000?

Here are my thoughts on the issue:

As a people, Jamaicans are reputed social butterflies; we pride ourselves on being friendly and spirited. It should come as no surprise to the rest of the world that when it comes to cell phone subscription that we have a subscription rate of 128%.  World Stats report on Jamaica’s internet penetration and access via mobile and broadband services shows that there are 3.5 million internet subscribers and a mobile internet penetration rate of 128% in Jamaica (BuddeCom, 2013).  This is interesting statistics to note, since Jamaica has a population 2, 697, 983, and this figure suggest an excess in subscription of 532,017.   

Telecoms usage in Jamaica

Jamaica’s telecommunications liberalization process has resulted in exponential grown in the area of cellular voice and data services. Within the last ten years there has been widespread cell phone ownership by Jamaicans, and huge reductions in landline ownership.  Since the year 2000, cellular deals have made interpersonal communication by data services the more affordable option for Jamaicans.  The affordability of cell phone credit and affordability of text messaging services have established a preference for data-driven communication as a dependable means to interact with others. Hence, in Jamaica, “cellular phones have achieved one of the highest levels of penetration globally; this impact is even more keenly felt among ‘bottom of the pyramid users’ whose low-income families often rely on basic communication systems in order to make a living. Jamaican mobile phone usage has achieved 94% and 96% prevalence, with users spanning all age ranges, sex and social status to embrace the most widely accessible personal communication instrument of the present era and maybe of all time (Dunn, 2007, p. 1).  

Economical Changes

The improvements in telecoms have revolutionized the way Jamaicans offer business services to their clients. Prior to liberalization online banking and trading was unheard of, and today it is commonplace for Jamaicans to bank, shop and sell online.  The online banking industry developed slowly first with the introduction of Automated Banking Machines, where patrons could go to transact business 24 hours a day. This expanded the business day of these financial institutions and discouraged the practice of storing monies in homes or travelling around with huge sums of cash.  In the mid-1990s, the banking sector began to experiment with asynchronous business transactions: as you may recall, it was during that period when banks began to encourage customers to utilize ABM machines and provided incentives to customers who accepted debit cards.  Then following on the heels of the ABM evolution was the introduction of point of sale transactions, where persons were now able to use a card that was linked directly to their bank account to transact business. This was an attractive option to offered opportunities for Jamaicans to access and use their money to transact business outside banking hours.  

As revolutionary as these opportunities were to the banking sector, there were limitations to them as persons had to go to ABM’s to transact business.  However, the liberalization of telecommunications as was discussed earlier provided the common man with access to the internet through mobile devices, such as smart phones and more recently tablet computers, thus providing the impetus to launch online banking, which expands the access and reach that customers have with their money.  Today, customers can manage their accounts and conduct legitimate business online through their bank accounts. They can make purchases, pay bills and mange their own investments from any where they choose, without the hassle of crowded banks with long lines and the filling out of forms.  Many Jamaicans have an online banking profile that they use frequently as doing so is far more convenient.  Most of these same Jamaicans are comfortable shopping online as they are able to gain aces to goods and resources from both local and international sources without the hassles of travel.

Social Changes

The operations of the three major telecommunications companies in Jamaica have served to bring to citizens contemporary telecommunications services and instruments.  The ease with which Jamaicans are able acquire cell phone services have acted as a catalyst to change in our communication practice. The communications patterns in this country have evolved to include communication via social networks and the use of social media. Online social networks are cyberspaces that people go to establish a community through which they are able to socialize.  The people in these networks usual share common interests, such as hobbies, alternate lifestyles, politics, or religion. There are a lot of social network sites to choose from sites such as face book, LinkedIn, Tango, MySpace and Hi5 are just a few. All these sites require persons who occupy spaces in them to join and once membership is acquired, a person is able to expand his/her network by sending a message requesting friendship. The friendship request has to be accepted by the recipient before access is granted. This process is called friending.   Through friending members within a social network community give access to each other’s content; that  is; personal profile, wall postings, conversations, videos and pictures, among others.  The ultimate goal of these sites is to share information at will and to remain in touch with one another all the time, if they so choose. The practice of being a part of an online social network is called social networking.    Social networking is an important practice within the Jamaican society as it is the means through which the people, mainly the young, remain in the know about both local and international happenings.   

Jamaicans are also using social media as a means of communication. Social media as the name suggests is communication instrument just like radio, newspapers and television.  Social media sites are used by its members to broadcast short messages or micro blogs, but unlike radio, television and newspapers that usually facilitate one-way information sharing, theses sites two-way information sharing or interactive broadcasts.  Therefore, the recipient of the information can add his/her perspectives or become the information provider. On these sites anyone can become a broadcaster at any time they feel necessary.  Hence, social media sites such as twitter, instagram, flixter & YouTube have surpassed the impact that introduction of news paper, radio and television had on the world.  Social media has revolutionized how information gets transmitted, received and discussed by ordinary citizens.   Social media also facilitates virtual hanging outs, it is the place where folks go to share random or deliberate insights on different topics, whenever they feel like doing so.  

Both social network sites and social media are commonplace on smart mobile such as an android, i-phone, or blackberry device. Therefore, one does not have to be sitting at a personal computer in a fixed location to utilize social networks or social media, all they need is a one of these devices and mobile phone service that includes internet access.  It is now possible to access social media and online social network sites through various downloadable phone apps.  The liberalization of telecoms in Jamaica has created this ease with which we are able to use mobile phone communicate with one another across Jamaica.  Hence, it is the norm for Jamaicans to remain in touch with one another through their mobile phones and many use phone apps that link them to online sites such as the ones we discussed earlier, i.e. facebook & twitter being the most popular,  because these services often prove to be far more economical than communication through voice calls. 

Educational Changes

The liberalization of the telecommunications has also impacted education.  Today, more people are able to access educational content online.  It is possible for persons to remain in the comforts of their homes and earn degrees and other professional training and certifications.  Children in our schools are given access to online resources from places across the world and they are able to interact with and learn from children from other cultures and of different religious persuasions.  School age children who are able to access the internet often use it to access a variety of perspective on topics that are of interest to them. This kind of multicultural experience was limited prior to liberalization. The use of cable television content for educational purposes was not as commonplace as it is now that Flow and Logical One have established service and is providing homes and schools with affordable access to multicultural programme, from channels such as Disney, national geographic, animal planet, discovery, etc. Through the provisions of broadband internet service to schools, it is now possible to include in curriculum delivery, a slew of alternative sources of knowledge through virtual learning environments, educational games, and simulations.

These are just a few of the changes that have come about as a result of the liberalization of telecommunications in Jamaica. 

Paula Daley-Morris, Ph.D.