Alternative Paths to Internet Infrastructure: The Case of Haiti

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Jon M. PEHA <peha@ece.cmu.edu>
Carnegie Mellon University
USA

Abstract

Haiti does not appear to be the most fertile ground for Internet growth. It is a poor nation with low literacy rates, difficult terrain, and few working telephone lines outside the capital city. Despite these impediments, resourceful entrepreneurs have sought to offer and expand Internet services, and have sometimes explored unconventional technical approaches. Haiti now has four commercial Internet service providers (ISPs), and Internet services are available in five Haitian cities. This paper will provide a brief description of today's Haitian Internet sector. The Haitian experience demonstrates that the shortest path to Internet infrastructure in developing countries may be radically different from the paths taken in wealthier nations. It also shows how policies regarding spectrum management, international telephone service, ISP licensing, and resale can impact Internet growth.

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Telecommunications climate
3. Today's Internet service providers
3.1. Hintelfocus: the multinational telecom connection
3.2. Alpha Communications Network: the Internet founder
3.3. Companet: the expanding computer vendor
3.4. Globelsud: serving the unserved
3.5. Possible future providers
4. Issues and controversies
4.1. Internet telephony
4.2. Spectrum management
4.3. International gateways
4.4. The government as provider
5. Conclusions
References

1. Introduction

If one were searching for a nation that could not support a commercial Internet sector, it would be hard to find a candidate much better than Haiti. A weak economy, widespread illiteracy, difficult geography, and political turmoil all conspire to inhibit Internet growth. Yet, Haiti has celebrated five years of commercial Internet services. Four firms currently compete for a growing customer base.
Haiti is one of many developing countries that have demonstrated that the benefits of the Internet are not limited to the wealthiest nations. While many of those developing countries have pursued a path to Internet development that is similar to that of the wealthiest nations, Haiti's entrepreneurs have taken a radically different path. They have found ways to leverage their strengths and circumvent their barriers.

This paper provides a brief overview of today's Haitian Internet sector, focusing on the lessons Haiti can provide on Internet development in developing countries. In the process, this paper will show how Internet telephony complicates Internet development in many countries, and how spectrum management polices play an important role.
Section 2 provides background on telecommunications in Haiti. The Internet Service Providers are described in Section 3. Section 4 discusses the principal policy issues facing Haiti's Internet development. The paper is concluded in Section 5.

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