Editing Telecommunications in Barbados (section)

== History ==
{{Main|Cable and Wireless (Caribbean)}}
[[File:All Red Line.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The [[All Red Line]] cable for the [[British Empire]]. Barbados(Barbadoes) functioned as an interconnection-point between [[Bermuda]] and [[Ascension Island]] in the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. c.a. 1903]]
Barbados has had various forms of Communications as early as the 1840s.  Some of the earliest expressions of inter-island communication includes a number of signal stations built along the high points of the island to relay acts of transgression towards the island to the [[Saint Ann's Garrison]] on the south-west coast.  The first telephone network in the country was developed in 1884.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.candw.com.bb/barbados/about_us/history/history_01.html |title=About us &ndash; History |author=Staff writer |year=2008 |department= |website=www.candw.com.bb |agency=Cable & Wireless (Barbados) |access-date=22 March 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201232535/http://www.candw.com.bb/barbados/about_us/history/history_01.html |archive-date=1 December 2008 |quote= }}</ref> As the former [[British Empire]]'s [[All Red Line]] came into existence during the early 1900s, Barbados played an important role as a crucial link in the [[Atlantic Ocean|trans-Atlantic]] communications network.  By 1935 a hard wired cable-based radio network was later deployed throughout the country to broadcast the [[Rediffusion]] service directly from [[London]] to homes and business across Barbados.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.starcomnetwork.net/aboutus/index.htm |title=Our History of Broadcasting Excellence |author=Staff writer |year=2009 |department= |website=www.starcomnetwork.net |agency=STARCOM Network Inc. |access-date=22 March 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901192633/http://www.starcomnetwork.net/aboutus/index.htm |archive-date=1 September 2009 |quote= }}</ref>
In 2001 the [[Government of Barbados]] and the local [[Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier]] (ILEC) provider, [[Cable and Wireless (Caribbean)|Cable & Wireless]] signed a MOU beginning a phased process of liberalisation of the international segment of Barbados' telecommunications sector.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.barbados.gov.bb/Docs/MOU_CW.pdf |title=MOU Document |website=www.barbados.gov.bb |access-date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050401073309/http://www.barbados.gov.bb/Docs/MOU_CW.pdf |archive-date=1 April 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>  The process was aimed at bringing Barbados' sector into compliance with the [[World Trade Organization]] (WTO). The plan outlined the first phase commencing on 1 December 2001 and the entire process ending with full liberalisation being achieved on 1 August 2003.  As these target dates were missed, the Phase I process was later commenced on 1 November 2002, with Phase II and III beginning on 16 November 2003 and 21 February 2004 respectively. Full liberalisation was attained in February, 2005, for the international telecommunications services market.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telecoms.gov.bb/AboutUs/tabid/108/Default.aspx |title=About Us |access-date=8 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704215944/http://www.telecoms.gov.bb/AboutUs/tabid/108/Default.aspx |archive-date=4 July 2010}}</ref>