Local Internet firm offers best priced service

By Al Edwards, Acting Financial Editor

LOCAL INTERNET Service Provider (ISP) firm N5 offers the most competitively priced internet service in the country at J$1,021 per month inclusive of tax and a registration fee of J$612.00 which works out to be approximately US$20 per month.

N5 one of the first ISP's on the island, was formed in 1995 by five friends (all Jamaicans) who met as students at the University of the West Indies (UWI). The main principals are Barrington Raglan, Yvonne Campbell, Clem Bowen, Tony Ching and Neville Barrett.

The company has its head offices on 19 Windsor Avenue, Kingston (off Old Hope Road) with another office in Montego Bay. The company has plans to expand into the wider Caribbean region and has a research centre in New Jersey, United States.

N5 has the distinction of being the only ISP operating in Jamaica to quote its prices in Jamaican dollars. Last year, it was awarded a Multipoint, Multichannel, Distribution Service (MMDS) licence thereby ensuring it offers a wireless, highspeed internet service.

Speaking to Wednesday Business, N5's business development manager, Kacy Samuels said: " We have concentrated on placing emphasis on service quality and we are currently offering wireless corporate solutions to businesses. Internet prices need not be so high and we at N5 see no justification for it. I see that Cable & Wireless are looking to lower their rates and rightly so. Everyone should be able to have access to internet service."

Miss Samuels worked in the information technology business in Baltimore, United States before returning home to Jamaica two years ago. She then worked for Jamaica On-Line before joining N5 four months ago.

She pointed out that broadband technology to be employed in Jamaica will open up the entire Internet market and will allow Jamaicans to utilise a far improved service. N5 hopes to provide by the end of this year wireless set top boxes which will alleviate hidden Internet costs. The company is now focused on setting up the MMDS which is a broadband network.

N5 has among its clients Blue Cross Jamaica and the Gleaner Company. It also offers a consultancy service and is the only local company which will be offering Digicel high speed connectivity to deploy wireless services. For instance, it will be facilitating the process whereby Digicel phones receive E-mails.

According to Miss Samuels currently there are 70,000 people using the Internet in Jamaica.

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