Sean GoforthThe organizers of Nexus 2015 have announced the addition of a special Cuba ICT talk, by one of the world’s leading Internet experts, to the agenda for next week’s conference in New York City.
In an exclusive Q&A discussion, Doug Madory, the Director of Internet Analysis at Dyn, will discuss how the state of Cuba’s Internet and IT infrastructure helps provide new clues on the immediate and long-term readiness for ICT investment in the country. Nexus – widely regarded as the premier conference and home for the thriving IT and business services industries of the Americas – takes place on Thursday, April 30th at the Apella Events Center in Manhattan.
Hailed by the Washington Post as “the man who can see the Internet,” Madory is a leading analyst on the undulating terrain of Internet connectivity across the world. Based largely on data collected from hundreds of Internet service providers across the globe, Madory and Dyn monitor Internet traffic in order to gauge trends, and forecast how networks can be connected and optimized.
Working with local partners, Madory and Dyn Research have developed a track record of making sense of IT-related anomalies with speed and precision. In recent years, this has allowed Madory and Dyn to offer insights on the Arab Spring as it unfolded, and chart out shifts in Iraq’s stability. When it comes to Latin America, Dyn’s research has gained the following of major media outlets like Bloomberg, Vice and the Miami Herald. In early 2013, for example, Dyn Research broke the news that ALBA-1, the first Internet submarine cable connecting Cuba to Venezuela, had been dormant for nearly two years.
In 2013 Dyn Research broke the news that ALBA-1, the first Internet submarine cable connecting Cuba to Venezuela, had been dormant for nearly two years.
Since President Barack Obama’s December 2014 announcement that the United States planned to normalize relations Cuba, excitement over the normalization of U.S. ties with Cuba has led to widespread misunderstanding over the state of Cuba’s telecoms network, in turn fueling unrealistic short- and medium-term expectations of the pace of growth in ICT-related businesses in Cuba.
“Cuba’s emergence on the Nearshore ICT stage is stirring a tremendous amount of intrigue and interest. We hope that in Doug’s talk we can clear up a lot of confusion and reveal the real facts around what the country is really able to support for IT and BPO businesses,” says Kirk Laughlin, founder and managing director of Nearshore Americas. “Quality Internet is an obligatory cornerstone to successful nearshore partnerships. Some of that understanding is missing in the recent, overheated enthusiasm about Cuba’s opening.”
At Nexus, Madory will explain how Cuba’s telecom sector might open up. Given his expertise of how Internet access can expand in other countries that have been digital laggards, such as Myanmar, Madory has a keen eye for how bandwidth can be effectively auctioned, how fixed line networks can be effectively coupled with broadband and relevant equipment, and what to expect as IT latecomers scale-up and become a part of the global IT community.
And while much of the focus has been devoted toward U.S. ties with Cuba, the Caribbean country may also be a ripe for partnerships with companies in other countries. China’s telecom companies could allay Havana’s suspicions of industrial spying from U.S.-based companies. At the same time, major Mexican telecoms, which are on the verge of losing domestic market share due to recent telecom reforms, may also be eyeing investment in the Cuban market. Madory is expected to note which partners may help modernize Cuba’s telecom sector.
Madory’s remarks at Nexus 2015 will offer the most detailed vision yet of the Cuban IT market. Registration for Nexus closes next Monday. If you’re a member of the press, and would like to attend Nexus, send us a note here.
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