For the average consumer in T&T the cost for broadband services is not prohibitive, says Brian Collins, managing director of Flow Trinidad.
Quoting a Caribbean Telecom Union report on the affordability of broadband, he said: "T&T is in the top five of affordability. They looked at the average earnings of somebody living in Tobago and the cost of a broadband package and we are consistently at the very top.
"I don't think we should be looking at the cost, but affordability. Is it affordable to the vast majority of people and I will always says the answer is yes. There will always be a small minority of people that for whatever the reasons don't believe they need it or can't afford. I think what we should be doing with the minister is try to figure out how we address that market segment."
Collins' comments follows calls by Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie for more affordable broadband services,
Noting that 29 per cent of T&T homes had broadband service, Collins said telecommunications companies should get together with the minister to look at different options.
"We are always ready and willing to meet with Minister Cuffie. I think he is doing a good job and I think he can count on our support. We have some ideas we will like to share with him," he said.
He added that back in 2005 when lawmakers moved to regulate the market, only eight per cent of households in T&T had broadband service.
"We have grown nearly ten-fold with the market that we have and the speeds that we have.
"When I came into the market in 2010 the average speed was about two megabits. The average speed that we sell now is about 45 megabits, so we have actually increased the speed of the product 25 times with no price increase.
"I know the minister and everyone would like to see lower prices and I would be more than happy to meet with him and make recommendations on how he could help us reduce our operating cost of doing business in T&T," Collins said.
"That might facilitate price reductions. But in more than ten years there have been no price increases. When you look at inflation running between three and right per cent, I think the industry has done a really good job at offering a high quality product at comparable speeds to Europe and North America at very affordable prices."
