medenholm@westtel.ky

Do you believe the Cayman Islands ranks among the leaders in the delivery of telecommunications services in the region? Why or why not?
With four ICTA licensed providers leveraging their experiences of other markets to bring relevant communications services to Cayman, consumers are able to take advantage of not only a wide range of high quality services but increasingly, the marketplace is such that price points are approaching those which customers could only dream about a relatively short time ago. Price clearly isn’t the only decision criteria for Cayman’s business and residential markets but the combination of price with high end functionality and deployment across reliable infrastructure makes Cayman claims to be the pre-eminent jurisdiction in the region for communications services very strong.

What do you predict will be the next major advancement in the local telecommunications industry?
The Cayman Islands’ continuing reputation for excellence in financial services and hospitality has meant that those industries providing support to these key pillars of the economy have always been required to remain abreast of key developments within their respective industries. Communications services clearly fall into this category as Cayman continues to witness competition for business from around the world and increasingly from within the region as jurisdictions such as St. Kitts and British Virgin Islands seek to imitate the winning fiduciary formula that has been developed here.

Key developments in markets such as Europe and North America are expected to surround ‘cloud’ computing, as telecommunications providers leverage their huge network investments and Internet powerhouses such as Google seek to maximize returns from server infrastructure around the world. Mobility services, as work becomes redefined as what you do as opposed to where you go are also expected to improve efficiency and convenience across both commercial and mass consumer sectors.

Communication services continue to be a key enabler for business in Cayman and as such we expect these innovations to work their way into the menu of services available to savvy business and residential users here. WestTel’s unique alliance with Kirk iSS means, that for the first time, organizations of all sizes can approach a single entity on the island for true one stop shop infrastructure and professional services solutions, comprising both communications services, such as international MPLS and high speed broadband and fully resilient IT fabric.

All this, with the added benefit that traditional upfront investment in expensive server and data storage hardware, is replaced with a predictable monthly fee and end to end service level agreements. Deployment of a local cloud computing node in Camana Bay means that local businesses now have the choice of ensuring sensitive data is stored within the jurisdiction in a facility that is amongst the very best that the region has to offer.

Cloud computing is also an exciting option for those businesses faced with the challenge of business continuity. The design of our infrastructure means that critical applications and data can be backed up away from a customers’ primary data centres but accessed from any Internet connection in the world (subject of course to robust access security). For a low, predictable, monthly fee businesses locally are now able to have complete peace of mind that, should the worst happen, it’s still business as usual. Key staff can relocate, to anywhere in the world and keep the enterprise open for business.

What legislative changes would you recommend that could enhance the delivery of information communications technology?  
As the Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs develops its plans for CCTV, a key legislative consideration will need to address the issues of data protection and the rights of the individual to privacy. Clarity around the responsibilities of network providers who capture, transport and store video data must be clearly detailed and understood, to protect the interests of all parties concerned.

What plans over the next year will your company introduce to improve the delivery of your products and services customers?
WestTel will continue its development of hosted solutions, which continue to drive down the cost of owning and operating world class communications infrastructure.

Clearly these services are only as reliable as the infrastructure over which they are accessed. While there are many benefits associated with wireless transport services, we will build on the success that we have enjoyed with deployment of the first phase of our wholly owned fibre network. A significant number of high profile organisations in Cayman now enjoy high speed access on the WestTel fibre route which extends from our George Town hub to Governors Square, taking in landmark properties such as Camana Bay and Grand Pavilion along the way.

Our strategy of taking the time and making the significant investments to deploy fibre within our own ducting will continue, as we begin the major undertaking of deployment into Cayman’s key business district of George Town. It is important to note that, for the first time, businesses in the area will have a real option for diverse fibre access to their premises, to complement services that they may already receive from LIME. If, for any reason, services are interrupted on existing connection, WestTel will be the only true alternative. This remains a key consideration for many organisations seeking to address industry compliance requirements for robust, auditable network diversity.

What impact has the economic slowdown had on your business?
Businesses here in Cayman have always looked for outstanding value and the economic downturn has made IT budget holders even more determined to squeeze additional capability out of shrinking resources. WestTel’s focus on providing innovative, value for money services means that we have weathered the economic storm well. Our continued investment in these Islands, through deployment of Phase 2 of our fibre scheme and staff development clearly demonstrates our commitment to the country and our confidence in its continued success.

Are there any issues that you believe are preventing the telecommunications industry to advance to the next stage of its development?
We remain confident that, with continued Government support for sustainable competition, the local telecommunications industry will continue to thrive.

Does your firm support any educational programmes in the schools to encourage Caymanians to enter the telecommunications industry?
WestTel is proud of its record of support for local talent through our summer intern programme. We have worked with UCCI to attract young Caymanians seeking a career in the telecommunications industry. WestTel also continues its support of the youth of Cayman, through sponsorship of various sports programs, including Youth Hockey, the Island Games and also donations to the Sunrise Training Centre in West Bay.

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