redundancy to the Belizean market. This which will be a catalyst to improving will greatly aid in getting the country Internet penetration and cost reduction ready to become a major player on the to the general Belizean populace. international ICT industrial market stage in • areas such as • Allow for the competitive development cyber-park of unfiltered Internet services in Belize development and the development of by avoiding the imposition of regulations Business that might impede development and Processing Outsourcing (BPOs); access to new technology such as Maintain an independent, effective, fair Voice-Over the Internet (VOIP). This will and transparent Telecommunications spur the creation of new socio-economic Regulatory Authority. The Public Utilities opportunities and reduce the cost of Commission (PUC) is critical in setting international calls; thereby allowing the the Belize to be more competitive and telecommunications market, and for innovative on par with the rest of the providing regulatory certainty, ensuring region and the world. right tone for non-discriminatory treatment of telecom • Maximize efforts to bring voice and data and ISP providers, and in preventing services to under-served populations, by anti-competitive behavior. The GOB via coordinating efforts from all social the PUC will ensure that all telecom and sectors involved and by creating a ISP providers have non- discriminatory universal access fund paid by telecom access to the International Internet and ISP providers. Gateway (ARCOS fiber) and those prices and service Promote the creation of a market which agreements for maximizes bandwidth are infrastructure and that has the capacity calculated on a cost- based formula and to provide the delivery of triple-play a reasonable return of investment for services (Voice, Data and Video) under the dominant operator. This healthy one single platform. This will allow environment will provide the certainty operators to enhance their service necessary large portfolio, reduce investment costs, and investments required for infrastructure provide a cheaper service to the development and service provision, consumer. wholesale level • Internet for attracting Belize ICT National Strategy the use of national 45