Find Telecommunication expertise in Guyana

In 2008 the telecommunications sector in Guyana contributed 11.5% towards GDP (Econstats). The total labour force employed by the telecommunications sector was 625 people in 2005.

Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) is the largest telecom operator in the country and is the sole provider for fixed lines services, 80% of GT&T’s shares are owned by the US based Atlantic Tele-Network Inc. GT&T also provides mobile services along with DigiCel Guyana. The main internet service providers include GT&T, Broadband Inc, Netcom Online, Guyana Net and I-Net Communications.

In 2013 the GT&T held the monopoly on landline and international services. With Digicel Guyana paying GT&T for mobile services bandwidth provided through GT&T. In the same year discussions surrounding the 2012 Telecommunication Bill and the Public Utility Commission (Amendment) Bill were ongoing. The Telecommunication Bill seeks to provide the establishment of a telecoms agency as well as an open and competitive telecommunications sector. The Public Utility Commission (Amendment) Bill seeks to amend the Public Utilities Commission Act to facilitate the Telecommunications Bill.

The Public Utilities Commission is the public body responsible for all regulation relating to the telecommunications sector. In accordance with the 1990 Telecommunications Act, all companies wishing to provide any telecom or cable programming service must first obtain licensing from the Public Utilities Commission.

In 2013 the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) laid emphasis on the need for teachers in the country to upgrade their qualifications, and make use of IT resources. Guyana suffers from a lack of resources and funding in education, however, the GTU recommend that these measures will help to enhance standards of education despite these difficulties. The union suggested that teachers need to be netter informed to new developments in technology.

A survey of telecommunications in Guyana shows moderate numbers of mobile phone subscriptions; in 2014 there were 705 mobile phones for every 1,000 people in the population. By comparison there were just 199 fixed telephone lines per 1,000 people for the same year. Internet usage in the country is moderate with 374 users per 1,000 people.  Broadband penetration in Guyana is low by world standards, with 38.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 1,000 people in 2012 (World Bank).