In
this Section:
- BERMUDA
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
- BERMUDA TRUST MANAGEMENT
- BERMUDA PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES
- BERMUDA BANKING AND FINANCIAL
SERVICES
- BERMUDA INTERNET AND E-COMMERCE
FACILITIES
- BERMUDA RESIDENCE AND
PROPERTY
- BERMUDA THE LABOUR MARKET
Bermuda
Telecommunications
There
are a number of competing telecommunications providers
in Bermuda. Long-distance call costs in Bermuda
have fallen substantially in recent years.
Providers
of a wide range of telecoms services in the jurisdiction
include:
- Cable
& Wireless
-
Logic Communications
- North
Rock Communications
- TeleBermuda
International
In
January, 2006, Caribbean telecommunications operator
Digicel announced a major programme of investment
aimed at expanding its regional wireless network
into new territories in 2006.
According
to Colm Delves, CEO of Digicel Group, the company's
strategy for the year ahead was to build upon
the momentum gathered in 2005 when Digicel received
approvals for its acquisition of Cingular Wireless’s
operation in Bermuda (where it is based).
Digicel
has operations in fifteen Caribbean countries
with a combined population of 14 million, and
the company’s overall investment in the region
is approaching US$1 billion since its launch in
the region in 2001.
Digicel’s
network now encompasses a wide area of the Caribbean
basin, including Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda,
Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands,
Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St.
Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the
Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago.
Cable
and Wireless has also announced a significant
investment in upgrading its telecoms infrastructure,
including a new fibre-optic cable linking Bermuda
with the US with 700 times more capacity than
the existing cable.
According
to a 2008 report,
the overall adoption rate of telecommunication
devices in Bermuda continues to be high.
On
the corporate side, nearly all Bermudan companies
surveyed have computers. Consistent with last
year, almost all firms (95%) have internet access
with a high-speed connection, however T1 lines
or greater accounted for just 18%. 58% of employees
are considered to be competent or skilled at using
computers, up 5% from last year. Corporate cell
phone and mobile device ownership continued to
show an increase this year from 75% to 85%. Companies
tended to own more mobile devices in 2008, from
49% in 2007 to 63%.
90%
of Bermudan households own a computer, up from
87% in 2007. The vast majority (84%) of households
access the internet, and consistent with last
year’s results, out of those that have internet
access 81% have a high speed internet connection
(DSL, Cable or wireless). In 2008, 94% of Bermudan
households own a cell phone and this year, residents
owned a larger proportion of mobile devices such
as BlackBerries, increasing from 16% in 2007 to
32%.
Regarding
residents’ online habits, consistent with
2007, the most regularly used online activities
include using search engines, looking for travel
information, and researching products or services
and online shopping.
Minister
of Energy, Telecommunications and E-Commerce,
Terry Lister said: “The study shows that
in some areas, such as computer or cell phone
ownership, we remain among the highest in the
world and there has also been an improvement in
the uptake of technology skills. However the learning
curve regarding technology is constant and therefore
a strong focus on the technology agenda must be
maintained, in order for Bermuda to continue to
emulate global best practices and remain competitive.
Technology is a powerful instrument for personal,
professional and economic empowerment. We must
continue to ensure that no one in Bermuda is left
behind as technology increasingly affects the
lives of everyone, everywhere, everyday.”
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