JNAP takes on FLOW in the telecoms arena
published: Sunday | November 5, 2006
Jamaica Observer

Local telecommunications company, Jamaica Network Access Point Limited (JNAP) is fiercely competing with Michael Lee Chin's FLOW to bring Internet, cable and telephony services in one package to the homes of Jamaicans.

JNAP, through its subsidiary DirectConnect (its retail arm), has formed a consortium with cable TV operators (including Entertainment Systems, Jamaica Cable Vision and Stars Cable Company) to offer triple-play services and products under one brand name, 'ONE'. The idea is to create an island wide network that offers cable TV while also providing Internet and telephone solutions. DirectConnect is designing its super digital TV Headend to also provide Digital TV to all the homes serviced by the cable operators in Jamaica.

Dean Panton founded JNAP in 2003. Its board comprises Kris Astaphan as chairman, Drum Drummond as corporate secretary, in addition to Gassan Azan, Paul Hoo, Gary Foster, Barry Walsh and Dean Panton.

JNAP secured a footing in the Caribbean with the design and implementation of the first state-of-the-art Caribbean Collocation and Data Storage facility located in the heart of New Kingston. The company managed to create a single point of interconnection for all telecommunication, data and TV/video companies. It did this by building out a Carrier grade facility in the MiPhone building located on Knutsford Boulevard.

The company's low-end triple-play (cable, Internet, telephone) package costs J$3,000 per month. Its premier offering, which includes its highest speed Internet along with land-line unlimited overseas calls to the US and Canada is priced at J$6,400 a month. Both services offer a 10 per cent discount.

Speaking with Sunday Finance, Dean Panton said: "We are a Jamaican company offering competitive services. We are bringing a first-world network to Jamaica. Right now we are operational in St Andrew, Spanish Town and presently lighting up our service on the North Coast."

JNAP's main competitor, FLOW announced its presence in February but has yet to launch or become operational. To date it has only lined up the service of one cable operator, namely Sauce.

"We don't have the roll out expense that FLOW has because we already have most of the cable operators. As far as I understand it, FLOW has spent approximately US$200 million in Jamaica and US$500 million in the Caribbean, yet it has yet to establish a presence in the homes of Jamaicans. We don't have FLOW's overheads."

Panton declared that by December 2008 he intends to introduce himself to every household who subscribes to JNAP's services. He added that it was vital that local cable operators look at deploying triple-play services if they want to remain competitive.

The company applied for and was awarded one of two submarine fibre licences issued by the Jamaican Government.
"We will be setting up a private fund from the proceeds of our operations to establish better schools, libraries and hospitals." These services are important if our country is to make any real progress," said JNAP's lead principal.