FLOW Barbados - Serving the Barbadian Community

FLOW BARBADOS

SERVING THE BARBADIAN COMMUNITY SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: FLOW BARBADOS

SERVING THE BARBADIAN COMMUNITY

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Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Mr. Jenson Sylvester, Country Manager at FLOW Barbados, about their LTE mobile network, community work, and the electrification of the company’s vehicle fleet.

Since first providing telegraph services in 1880, Cable & Wireless Communications has been connecting the people of Barbados and the wider Caribbean for well over a century. Through its consumer brands FLOW, FLOW Business, and C&W Business, Cable & Wireless Communications touches hundreds of thousands of Barbadian lives every day with reliable connections, spread across mobile, broadband, landline, and television services.

FLOW was the first provider in Barbados to introduce fiber, positioning Barbados as the first country in the world to have a 100% fiber network, and FLOW remains the only telecoms provider to offer reliable, island-wide 4G LTE coverage. Through its business division, C&W provides data center hosting, domestic and international managed network services, and customized IT service solutions, utilizing cloud technology to serve business and government customers. C&W also operates a state-of-the-art submarine fiber network spanning 36,000km – the most extensive in the region.

RELIABLE COVERAGE In 2017, FLOW Barbados launched its 4G LTE mobile network, delivering the fastest, strongest, and most reliable mobile network in Barbados. “Our LTE network is a major triumph, and demonstrates our ability to place Barbados ahead of the pack,” says Mr. Sylvester, Country Manager at FLOW Barbados. “We currently have 35 LTE sites online, which is unprecedented in the Caribbean, SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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with more sites due to come on stream as we continue to build out the infrastructure.

We’re pleased to be the first to deliver this reliable island-wide service, which will directly help shape the future of Barbados.”

As having reliable network coverage becomes ever-more important, FLOW recognizes the transformational potential that its LTE network can bring. “Mobile devices and related connectivity continue to be more and more embedded in the fabric of our society,” explains Mr. Sylvester. “Barbados currently has more than 100% mobile penetration, with several people owning more than one mobile device. This is a clear indication of people wanting to stay connected, and our LTE network will facilitate that connectivity at superfast speeds. We plan to

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continue investing in our networks, because we see that investment as an investment in our people, and the country itself. A further connected environment will certainly allow for the expansion of the business sector, greater opportunities for individuals, and tangible returns for all Barbadians.”

BENEFITING COMMUNITIES As part of celebrations for its annual Mission Week, FLOW employees took part in a tree-planting initiative with the Walkers Institute for Regenerative Research, Education and Design (WIRRED), contributing to the continued restoration of the Walkers Quarry in Saint Andrew. “A core element of our annual Mission Week is to give back to those very same communities we serve,

and the environment and sustainability is crucial to that,” explains Mr. Sylvester.

“Our employees took part in a clean-up at Pebbles Beach, and assisted St. Giles Primary School with restoring their outdoor recreational space. Other employees also donated tablets to deserving primary school children, and the team at FLOW Business presented ten hand sanitizer dispensers to Welches Primary School.”

FLOW has continued its work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, donating $7,500 worth of supermarket vouchers to the Barbados Cancer Society and the HIV Food Bank, as part of its annual support for the two agencies, an increase of $5,000 on 2019. “We’re committed to empowering and improving our community,” explains Mr. Sylvester. “That not only involves making prudent donations to deserving individuals and organizations, but also working to place purchasing power in the hands of the people who are most in need. While this may be a small gesture when looking at the big picture, it is our ultimate hope to make an immediate and positive impact in the lives of at least some Barbadians affected by cancer or HIV. 2020 was difficult for everyone, and we know the need will be even greater in 2021”

INTERVIEW: FLOW BARBADOS

“WE’RE PLEASED TO BE THE FIRST TO DELIVER THIS RELIABLE ISLAND-WIDE SERVICE, WHICH WILL DIRECTLY HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF BARBADOS.”

GOING ELECTRIC In a move squarely aimed at improving operational efficiencies while reducing its carbon footprint, FLOW recently picked up the keys to eight brand-new, 100% electric Nissan e-NV200 vans from local company Megapower. “The benefits of going green as a business are manifold, and we are very happy to be once again leading the charge from a local telecommunications perspec-

tive”, says Mr. Sylvester. “Currently, there are about 300 electric vehicles on the road in Barbados, with several charging ports spread across the length and breadth of the island.

Of those, the Nissan e-ENV200 is currently the leading pure electric van on the market, with a range of up to 250km from a single charge, thanks to a far greater battery capacity than that of previous models. Of course, our thanks go out to the folks at Megapower for their guidance and support in making this initiative a reality”.

Behind the company’s investment is the expectation of a bright future for vehicles in Barbados. “Although we’re only adding eight vehicles to our fleet at present, we’re confident that more will be added in the future,” says Mr. Sylvester.

“We’ve already installed charging ports at our locations at Windsor Lodge, Speightstown, and Pegwell, and in time we also have plans to convert these to solar-powered ports, enabling us to leverage the maximum benefits of this new technology.

We also conducted a driver awareness course with the engineers who will be driving the vehicles, so they are now fully equipped to get the most from them.”

A BROAD HORIZON Moving towards the future, FLOW is committed to maintaining both its high standards, and transformation vision. “We are in the business of connecting people, and we see it as a privilege to be Barbados’s leading full-service telecommunications provider,” says Mr. Sylvester. “At the same time, we feel compelled to share our knowledge and experience, in order to shed some light on the best ways to align our activities with the broader socio-economic goals for Barbados and the Caribbean. In the meantime, we remain driven to deliver the very best communication services to local government, businesses, and families with one unifying promise — to build, connect, and, above all else, improve the communities in which we serve.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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