Business View Caribbean
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ment goes out of sync, may start to broadcast inadver-
tently on frequencies that they shouldn’t. Sometimes
you have shared frequencies and you can’t go above a
certain power level – Wi-Fi devices, for example. Every-
body uses the same Wi-Fi frequency, but you have to
maintain your broadcasts within a certain power level,
so that you don’t generate harmful interference. So,
the complexity of the management varies, depending
on the band.”
BVM: How many licensees are there in Jamaica?
McBean:
“We have, typically, at any one time, over
500 active licenses. Some licenses are for short peri-
ods. For example, we issue frequencies to ships that
dock in Jamaica; the port of Kingston is a very busy
port, so we have a collaboration with the Maritime Au-
thority to expedite licenses on a quick turnaround for
ships that may be in port for anywhere between one
day or a week. And then, there are some vessels that
have regular calls and may apply for licenses for up to
a year or two. Then there are some government agen-
cies which are exempt. So, for example if the military
is doing joint exercises with third countries, and they
need some frequencies, we grant authorization for a
fixed period of time.”
BVM: Aren’t there a limited number of available fre-
quencies?
McBean:
“In theory, there are an infinite number of
frequencies, but in terms of ‘usable’ frequencies,
there is a finite number.”
BVM: Will you ever run out?
McBean:
“Wemay run out of space in particular bands,
