Tech tutorials, howtos and walkthroughs

Looks like the Summer of 2016 might be the Summer that a new Telecom Provider comes to Jamaica. And possibly a Celestial of the Telecom World; China Telecom or China Mobile.

Geezam - How Chinese may be launching a White Space Network in Jamaica Independence Day - 04-05-2016 LHDEER

So says Finance Minister Audley Shaw during a Standing Finance Committee of Parliament on Tuesday May 3rd 2016 where he spoke on behalf of the Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Dr Andrew Wheatley, who was abroad on business.

The previous Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Phillip Paulwell in January 2016 had mentioned such a Third Telecom Provider vying for a Cellular license.

More interestingly, Finance Minister Audley Shaw says they’ve been in Jamaica for the past two (2) years offering their services via provisional approval, effectively to do testing of their services, unknown to the rest of Jamaica. Pressed by PNP (People’s National Party) MP Julian Robinson, Minister Audley Shaw revealed that they’d be offering basic cellular services, though he did not elaborate if the scope of this service might include 4G LTE.

So who are they exactly?

New Telecom Provider to Launch soon – TeleComs Implementation Services Limited looking for a Radio Frequency Engineer

A nice clue fell in the Career Section of the Sunday Gleaner dated Sunday May 1st 2016.

Geezam - How Chinese may be launching a White Space Network in Jamaica Independence Day - 04-05-2016 LHDEER

The company, TeleComs Implementation Services Limited looking for a Radio Frequency Engineer who can do Radio Planning and Optimization of GSM, WCDMA (HSPA+) and LTE Mobile Networks. This implies that they’re doing the initial survey and provisioning work for the launch of a new LTE Network in Jamaica.

The fact that they put out this ad two (2) days before the Finance Minister Audley Shaw made his announcement is no coincidence. Based on my experience, this work usually takes some ninety (90) days or three (3) to complete, suggesting that it may have already started if they’re looking for additional help on the very first month of May 2016.

So let’s assemble, Avengers style, all the clues and look at all the possibilities.

Telecom Providers coming to Jamaica – Digicel or FLOW Jamaica or Chinese Telecom Providers Honoring our Independence Day

First, these clues could point to either Digicel or FLOW Jamaica launching a 4G LTE Network.

more on Geezam.com:  Schneider Electric’s 7 Reasons Building Management System Modernization is important

Either company may have hired TeleComs Implementation Services Limited to do this Radio Planning and Optimization work. But it doesn’t explain the New Telecom Operator that’s been testing out their service in Jamaica for the past two (2) years, which stretches back to 2014. So it may be Digicel doing the initial groundwork to launch their 4G LTE in Jamaican in May or August 2016.

This in light of the fact that they have plans to launch in Bahamas and now Guyana to coincide with their Independence Day on Thursday May 26th 2016 as predicted in Digicel and GTT 80 Mbps 4G LTE in Guyana hints at August 2016 Launch in Jamaica.

The second possibility is that it may just be coincidence and the Telecom Provider may actually be a completely new Telecom Provider altogether. Possibly, it may be China Telecom, VimpelCom, Orange, Axiata Cup, Telefonica, America Movil, China Unicom, Airtel, Vodafone or China Mobile, basically the Celestials and Eternals, Marvel Style, of the Telecom World.

Based on a source of mine who works in a Call Center, it will be a Chinese Telecom Provider supported by Huawei. My source also claims that the company doing the testing and the Radio Planning and Optimization for the building of this 4G Network is Huawei and that TeleComs Implementation Services Limited was contracted by them to do the work.

Huawei partnering with a Chinese Telecom Provider – Experience Store a Herald for a Chinese Telecom Provider

This arguement by my Call Center source makes sense to the average Jamaican seeing as the Chinese as so active in Jamaica building HighWay 2000.

But it goes a lot deeper than that as my own investigation has revealed. The Government of People’s Republic of China have had mutual relations with Jamaica as far back as 2010 with China Radio International and China Central Television having expressed an interest in entering Jamaica.

This was under the JLP Administration at the time and it was in a bid to foster closer ties between the Government of People’s Republic of China and Jamaica seeing as relations with the communist state began as far back as 1972. Now with Trade and Cultural ties being established, this Telecom Provider from China, possibly owned by the Chinese Central Government, may see their Telecom Network as being a furtherance of their desire to enter the Broadcasting space.

more on Geezam.com:  How Schneider Electric can help you company to reduce Third Party Carbon Emissions

Hence the reason why Minister of Finance Audley Shaw mentioned “basic mobile phone service”, given that China Telecom and China Mobile, the possible candidates, might see this as solidifying the Government of People’s Republic of China’s forty four (44) years of mutual co-operation with the Jamaican Government and not necessarily for profit.

The Huawei angle makes sense, as they are a Telecom Equiptment Provider with experience in positioning 3G Networks such as CLARO and 4G LTE in China with board members from the Chinese Central Government sitting on their board.

They also recently opened a Huawei Store on Friday April 8, 2015 to sell their unlocked smartphones, which they’ve been doing in partnership with Lasco since September 2015. This falls within the two (2) year period as pointed out by Finance Minister Audley Shaw that they’ve been given a provisional license to testing.

China Telecom or China Mobile coming – Basic Cellular Services with White Space Broadband

So expect basic Cellular service coming from either China Telecom or China Mobile. Possibly they may be launching a White Space Broadband Network, being as they had original expressed an interest in Broadcasting they might use the White Space frequencies.

Microsoft is  currently testing out White Space Spectrum at Park Hall Primary and Infant School in Trout Hall, Clarendon as noted in Digicel and GTT 80 Mbps 4G LTE in Guyana hints at August 2016 Launch in Jamaica to provide a competitive White Space Broadband Service against Digicel and FLOW Jamaica.

Folks, expect a big announcement relate to 4G LTE now that the thirteenth season of Digicel Rising Star 2016 has started with auditions having begun on Sunday May 1st 2015!

Or more interestingly, a Chinese Telecom Provider to announce that they’re planning to launch their Cellular and White Spaces service in Jamaica to coincide with our Independence Day in August 2016.

About the Author

Read more on Geezam.com

One response to “How Chinese White Space Network possible in Jamaica by Independence Day”

  1. The rumored Huawei built LTE network may be in reference to FLOW’s LTE deployment along the tourist areas. FLOW uses Huawei equipment for 2G/3G/HSPA+ on the North Coast (Trelawny, Rural St. James, Hanover and all the other recent HSPA+ deployment areas) and Ericsson on the South Coast.