St. Lucia: ICT in the Eastern Caribbean

Cross, Philip, Vanessa Gray and Michael Minges. 2004. ICT in the Eastern Caribbean: St. Lucia Case Study. Geneva, Switzerland: International Telecommunication Union.

There was a mobile communications explosion going on in St. Lucia due to the end of the Cable & Wireless monoply and the introduction of competition.

One of the reasons for the interest in the St. Lucia mobile market are the large number of tourists that visit, particularly from cruise ships. They are a potential source of roaming revenue.

St. Lucia is a member and headquarters of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority. ECTEL has been instrumental in promoting market liberalization through licensing guidelines and negotiations with the incumbent operator. The entry of multiple mobile operators in all of the ECTEL members-whose five members have a total population in the vicinity of half a million-refutes the historical argument that small market size is a barrier to competition.

We were there just before Christmas and one of the mobile operators was promoting its services using female Santas.

Fiji: Bula Internet

Vanessa Gray and Michael Minges. 2004. Bula Internet: Fiji ICT Case Study. Geneva, Switzerland: International Telecommunication Union.


The country's long-term telecommunication monopoly was identified as a major barrier. The fact that there are different operators for each telecommunication segment (local, mobile, international and Internet) adds to higher pricing. With this market situation Fiji is missing the benefits that a more competitive telecom market would provide such as lower prices, better quality, enhanced innovation and greater customer focus. Fiji's mobile peak time call charges, for example, are among the highest in the world and given the current levels of coverage and tariffs mobile penetration (at around eleven percent) is probably close to saturation. Market liberalization and sector reform are crucial. This was one of the key recommendations yet not implemented until almost four years later. See "Telecommunication deregulation today". Fiji Times Online. January 17, 2008:

"THE deregulation of Fiji's telecommunication industry is expected to take place this morning, reports Pacnews. The official signing of the Settlement Deed between Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Limited and Fiji's interim Government would be held at the Reserve Bank of Fiji, it has been confirmed. This would result in the deregulation of Fijis telecommunication industry."

Jale Curuki (Ministry of Communications), Vanessa Gray, Josua Turaganivalu (Ministry of Communications) and Michael Minges

Maldives: ICT in the Atolls

Vanessa Gray (second from left), Mohamed Amir (Telecom Authority of Maldives), 4th from left bottom), Michael Minges (fourth from left, top)

Mauritius: The Fifth Pillar

Gray, Vanessa, Michael Minges and Marcelino Tayob. 2004. The Fifth Pillar: Republic of Mauritius ICT Case Study. Geneva, Switzerland: International Telecommunication Union.

The title alludes to the Government of Mauritius’ desire to make Information and Communication Technology the fifth pillar of the economy along with sugar production, export processing zones, offshore finance and tourism.

Marcelino Tayob, Selena Issur (National Computer Board), Vanessa Gray and Michael Minges

Here is a local news article about the case study (in French).

Broadband Korea

Cape Verde: Internet in a Lusophone LDC

Lao PDR: Internet on the Mekong

Thailand: Bits and Bahts

Cambodia: Khmer Internet

Field research: July 8-12, 2001


This photo, taken in Phnom Penh, was used in a UN publication on the Millennium Development Goals.

Multimedia Malaysia

Firth Lucy, Vanessa Gray and Michael Minges. 2002. Multimedia Malaysia: Internet Case Study. Geneva, Switzerland: International Telecommunication Union

Authors (Vanessa Gray, bottom left, Lucy Firth, second from bottom left and Michael Minges, third from top right) with staff of Dengkil Secondary School