UTech, Ja. Voices

21 January – April 2020 | VOICES Bi-Monthly Magazine of the University of Technology, Jamaica The declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO) triggered social distancing measures. With stay-at-home measures in place in Jamaica and around the world traffic congestion moved from the roads to telecommunications networks as telework (working from home), e-learning (learning from home), and home entertainment surged. Consequently, the demand for cellular data, and especially residential broadband data usage, increased by over 30 per cent in Jamaica, while commercial usage (normally prioritised by operators) have declined. Operators like Flow and Digicel are struggling to respond to this shift in demand, demonstrated by the frequency of contractors laying cable in several areas. The question that is being posed is: Will these behavioural changes triggered by this pandemic result in long-term demand for information and communications technologies (ICT) or is this just a blimp on the radar? The answer to this question will determine how, and the pace, that the Jamaican economy will integrate into the world digital economy. There are approximately 881,000 households in Jamaica based on the 2011 census. If approximately 60 per cent of these households have broadband access, this means that nearly 352,000 households, or 40 per cent, have no fixed broadband access. In this new COVID-19 paradigm, fixed broadband is required for telework and for e-learning classes. There have been stories of individuals spending inordinate and unsustainable amounts of money on mobile (cellular) broadband to have their children attend online classes. The unavailability of fixed broadband in households is exacerbating inequalities in education during this ICT Shifts Will Have Winners and Losers Professor Paul Golding Contributed by Professor Paul Golding, Professor of Management and Information Systems, College of Business and Management This following is an excerpt from an article first published May 3, 2020 in The Jamaica Observer. It is reprinted with kind permission. File photo COVID-19 period. The Government will have to examine strategies to ameliorate this situation. The data indicated that these households without fixed broadband are predominantly located in the rural areas. A 2014 study by the College of Business and Management at the University of Technology, Jamaica (the most recent information) indicated a substantial urban/rural digital divide in Internet access. Sixty-four per cent of urban residents and 36 per cent of rural households had Internet access. What accounts for the low overall Internet access and this urban/rural digital divide? It is my opinion that residential demand for these fringe services will become mainstream after COVID-19 and therefore the derived demand for broadband (Internet services) will increase. More people have adjusted to online services, inhibitions have evaporated, confidence has increased, and the convenience has become seductive. There is no turning back. People who were loath to conduct online banking have adjusted and have become more comfortable with the process. This will result in further staff attrition in this sector. The private operators, particularly Flow and Digicel, will need to increase their capacity in the short run to respond to current demand. Over the centuries crises have resulted in significant and long-lasting changes in behaviour, including public health, geopolitics, and economic well-being. The current conditions present an opportunity to create inclusive growth and development. While tackling COVID-19 we must plan for ex post. Link to full article: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/the-agenda/ict- shifts-will-have-winners-and-losers_193254