Overview
In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the telecommunications sector covers mobile phone services, internet, landline telephony, cable TV and business solutions. Flow and Digicel are major mobile service providers with comprehensive services and coverage. Flow, Digicel, Spectra SVG Inc., Karib Cable and SilverCast offer broadband internet using different technologies such as fibre-optic, DSL, and wireless to cater to residential and commercial needs. They also provide services such as landline telephony, essential for businesses and government, and cable TV services.
The National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) regulates the industry by setting technical standards, managing radio frequency spectrum, licensing, compliance, and fair competition. The government policies promote universal access, competition, and affordable quality services.
SVG has physical sim and e-sim cards. Mobile providers require a means of identification for SIM registration, and there are no restrictions for SIM card registration. The two major mobile companies use an account manager system for corporate clients. These account managers facilitate the process, making acquiring SIM cards seamless. Data plans are available, and they range from daily mobile data plans of EC$ 3 to monthly mobile data of EC$ 120 and residential plans ranging from EC$ 130 to EC$ 320. These companies customise plans for businesses based on requirements.
For details on tariffs visit the respective websites https://discoverflow.co/en/web/saint-vincent and https://www.digicelgroup.com/vc/en.
Challenges include maintaining infrastructure in the face of natural disasters. The topography of the island also affects mobile connectivity.
|
Telephone Services |
|
|---|---|
|
Is there an existing landline telephone network? |
Yes |
|
Does it allow international calls? |
Yes |
|
Number and Length of Downtime Periods (on average) |
N/A |
|
Mobile Phone Providers |
FLOW (Cable and Wireless Communications Ltd) Digicel |
|
Approximate Percentage of National Coverage |
95% (mobile LTE) 62%1 (fixed broad brand) |
Telecommunications Regulations
Various regulations govern telecommunications in SVG, including rules related to importation and licensing. According to the Telecommunications Act (Cap 418) and the Telecommunications (Licensing and Authorization) Regulations 2007 No 1 of 2007, anyone who wants to establish or operate a telecommunications network or provide telecommunications services must obtain a license. Organizations must apply for a licence and register the relevant frequencies before importing equipment such as VSAT, HF, VHF, or similar devices. The licensing fee varies depending on the type of equipment. Customs requires proof of NTRC clearance (i.e., the necessary licenses and frequency registrations) at the entry point. Access all the telecommunications-related regulations in SVG via this link Legislation – National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC).
Some equipment requires Type Approval. Check the webpage Type Approvals – National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) for equipment requiring type approval and the Type Approval Registry.
Regulations on Usage and Import
|
Regulations in Place? |
Regulating Authority |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Satellite |
Yes |
NTRC |
|
HF Radio |
Yes |
NTRC |
|
UHF/VHF/HF Radio: Handheld, Base and Mobile |
Yes |
NTRC |
|
UHF/VHF Repeaters |
Yes |
NTRC |
|
GPS |
Yes |
NTRC |
|
VSAT |
Yes |
NTRC |
|
Individual Network Operator Licenses Required |
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|
A licence is required to establish or operate a public telecommunications network or use equipment to transmit radio frequency. The Government requires all organizations or individuals that require individual network licences to apply to NTRC. The licence types and application guidelines can be found on the webpage Licence Applications – National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) |
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Frequency Licenses Required |
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Frequency authorisation is relevant to those who have also applied for an individual or class license and would like to deploy their service using wireless means. NTRC grands authorisations for the use of frequency licences. Find more information in the link above. |
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Existing Humanitarian Telecoms Systems
In SVG, there is no existing humanitarian telecommunications system.
Existing UN Telecommunication Systems
|
UNDP |
WFP |
UNICEF |
UNWOMEN |
FAO |
UNFPA |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
VHF Frequencies |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
HF Frequencies |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Locations of Repeaters |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
VSAT |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
Internet service providers (ISPs) provide broadband packages using fibre-optic, DSL, and wireless technologies to serve residential and business customers. Ongoing investments in infrastructure have improved internet speed and reliability. Organizations in SVG can engage ISPs to meet their specific business requirements. Small enterprises typically choose from available data plans that meet their needs, while larger organizations opt for customized plans tailored to their requirements. The major internet service providers include Digicel, Flow (Cable and Wireless Communications Ltd), Spectra, and Karib Cable.
Ongoing investments in infrastructure have improved internet speed and reliability. Additionally, government initiatives focused on enhancing digital literacy and integrating ICT into education and business sectors are promoting widespread internet availability and usage across the islands.
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Internet Service Providers |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Are there ISPs available? |
Yes |
|
|
If yes, are they privately or government owned? |
Privately |
|
|
Dial-up only? |
No |
|
|
Approximate Rates (local currency and USD - $) |
Dial-up |
N/A |
|
Broadband |
N/A |
|
|
Max Leasable ‘Dedicated’ Bandwidth |
None. It depends on the requirements |
|
Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)
There are two mobile network operators in St. Vincent and the Grenadines—FLOW and DIGICEL. Both MNOs offer comprehensive mobile network coverage with 2G, 3G, and 4G services. The mobile network coverage is 100 percent, with 92 percent LTE coverage providing voice, text, and data services to residents and businesses across the islands.
For information on MNOs please visit the GSM Association website.
|
Company |
Number of Agent Outlets by Area |
Network Strength by Area |
Contracted for Humanitarian or Government Cash Transfer Programmes? |
Services Offered (i.e. Merchant Payment, Bulk Disbursement, Receive & Make Payment) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
FLOW |
Kingstown- 1 Arnos Vale- 1 Bequia- 1 Canouan- 1 Union Island - 1 |
Good |
No |
N/A |
|
DIGICEL |
|
Good |
No |
N/A |
1 Fixed broadband coverage as reported in the NTRC_Annual_Report_2022_Public2.pdf
