For hundreds of years, the Himalayan zone of the current kingdom of Bhutan has remained isolated from the rest of the world, jealously guarding its customs and traditions. Already since the eighth century AD, a culture was highly impregnated by the principles and values of Tibetan Buddhism that today govern all areas of life and development in this country.
Bhutan has remained virtually impervious to the technological avalanche developed and spread worldwide throughout the 20th century. But between 1961 and 1973 a major change in government plans began. The transformation of the country began, increasing the communications network such as the construction of new roads (Less than 2,000 km in 1974, they had more than 11,000 km in 2015), restoring and building irrigation canals, exporting electricity - to India - as well as opening diplomatic relations with India from 1968. The hydroelectric projects in Bhutan are an example of mutual gain cooperation between the two countries. Bhutan is a country that in a short space of time went from being pre-technological to one of the most connected of the 21st century.
Opening to technology
The last kings of the Wangchuck dynasty have been promoters of access to modernity and endorsers of a new paradigm, Happiness National Gross (Gross National Happiness / GNH). Thanks to the political and economic changes carried out since 1972 by SM Jigme Singye Wangchuck (fourth king of the hereditary monarchy of Bhutan), the country began to change. Instead of promoting development governed by the concepts of GDP, he introduced the GNH as the main guideline to follow in all national policies. The GNH focuses on the welfare of the population, seeks the balance between material progress and sustainable growth. J. Singye Wangchuk allowed the transformation of his absolute government into aparliamentary monarchy. The first Constitution was promulgated in 2008:
« Democracy in Bhutan is truly a result of the desire, aspiration and complete commitment of the monarch for the welfare of the people and the country.» (Supreme Court of Bhutan, Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye, July 18, 2008)
In 2006, King Jigme Singye Wangchuk abdicates and delegates power to his son Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. who, being the new king, will continue the policies of change and transformation to the new media.
Radio and Television
The entry of the media was not simultaneous. The first regularized radio station in the kingdom was the private broadcaster NYAB (National Youth Association of Bhutan), which began broadcasting in 1973. It is currently owned by the state and was absorbed by the national corporation Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS).
Bhutan was the last country to legalize TV. The BBS began the first TV broadcasts in June 1999, broadcasting in four languages: Dzongkha, Tsanglhakha, English and Lhotshamkha.
Radio, unlike TV and other media (newspapers and later Internet), was the only effective means of rapid dissemination throughout the country, since its first broadcasts. The introduction of the media, made the population progressively aware of the advantages of electronic transmission media. According to JBS, in 2001 some cable TV operators already offered more than 40 channels.Technological advances have increased the capacity of the media in Bhutan, which are already part of the life of the majority of the population, although interest and access differ depending on the rural or urban area, between rich and poor, among old and young people According to the MIS of the Bhutan Broadcasting Service, television, especially international channels had a stronger impact on the urban and young population. The radio that reaches all corners of the country maintains its greatest influence, in remote areas it is the only means of information.
With the political system implemented by the government, the number of private companies dedicated to the media was increasing. In 2010 apart from public media, there were 6 newspapers, 6 radio stations and 3 private Internet service providers. Today, in addition to satellite TV, Bhutanese people have a national terrestrial fiber optic network, deployed by all 20 districts (dzongkhag), with numerous TV channels, many of them from India.
The Phones
The first telephone telecommunication service was May 1, 1965 (Phuentsholing-Thimpu). In 1985, a microwave connection with India is established. Satellite connections in 1990. Digital microwave transmission between 1990 and 1995. On July 1, 2000, Bhutan Telecom - state owned -, Internet, mobile phone and telecommunications service provider (offers B-Mobil and Internet service) DrukNet), in addition to being the only landline telephone provider in the country. With the arrival of cell phonesIn 2003, the field of media expanded progressively. According to data from Bhutan Telecom and Tashi Cell, the number of mobile phones discharged in Bhutan in 2007 was 148,179. At the end of June 2018, the number counted was 715,626, being mostly prepaid subscribers.
Currently, satellite connection services continue to play a primary role due to the rugged mountainous orography and in remote locations is the only form of communication. Bhutan has no proprietary satellites but uses the services of other providers (INSAT 4A satellite in C-band frequency). The Telecom company uses voice and data transmission services from Intelsat and Thaicom. For local ISPs they use TELSTAR 18 from Telsat or Intelsat 12 satellite.
Internet and its deployment
The Internet enters Bhutan on June 2, 1999 with Druknet, which will be the only service provider in the country (Bhutan Telecom), until 2003. In 2004, thanks to the decentralization of two private ISP companies, the DrukCom Private Enterprise and The Samden Tech Pvt. Ltd also start offering VSAT services. In 2007 the Telecom monopoly ends and the mobile phone company Thasi Cell appears, which as of 2016 began offering fourth generation (4G) telecommunication services.
Because Bhutan was a country that did not have any inherited technological Infrastructure, after the entry of the Internet in 1999, it was possible to plan directly for the implementation of the fiber network throughout the country. In a short time, it went from analog technology systems to ADSL / DSL digital and fiber optic technology. At first the communications were extremely expensive because the connections had to be made via satellite, later as the new terrestrial connection infrastructures were deployed the cost was reduced, increasing the number of users and services. Currently, Telecom services have been extended offering service to foreign operators whose customers visit Bhutan. In June 2013, the government had already deployed high-speed infrastructure for all its 20 districts and 202 blocks. The services offered by Bhutan Telecom on that date: ADSL / DSL 512 Kbps (in copper), FTTC, FTTB, FTTH and wifi; private connection networks (internet lease lines), communication circuitsP2P, IPVPN and IPLC.
The statistics of the DITT Annual report of Jan 2016 - June 2017, of the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications of the Government, show a 92% increase in mobile subscribers and a 75.44% in the Internet penetration rate and broadband. Also in the aforementioned document whose source is data collected by Bhutan Telecom and Tashi Infocomm Ltd, it shows the segmentation of subscribers according to the type of Internet connection contracted. In 2016, it reached the level of 532,089 subscribers who signed up for 3G, 4G and EDGE / GPRS connection.
The Timbu TechPark
In May 2012, the Timbu Technology Park became operational. The 2012 Strategic Plan of the Bhutan Technology and Innovation Center (BITC) has three objectives: Business Incubator, Shared Technology Center and Data Center. On March 23, 2017, the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DITT) officially opened the Bhutan Government Data Center, the Thimphu TechPark. This is the first centralized Data Hub of the government.
Immersion and use of new technologies (ICT)
Computerization of the government and all public administration departments. In order to conduct this transformation, the government opened the Thimphu TechPark, responsible for cybersecurity and providing an efficient online public service. The Government Data Center (GDC), will allow the complete transition to new technologies (ICT), ensuring its strategic integration and improving the efficiency of all government agencies.
Government support to private enterprise and entrepreneurship, focusing its development and projection through ICT.
Statistics: collection of information and data analysis about the social and economic conditions of the country (demography, education, health, employment, habitat, access to services, property, credit, poverty and happiness. In the 2017 National Statistics report Bureau of Bhutan, it is specified that 35 teams led by a supervisor were deployed for the data collection and analysis process, and used tablets with softwareCAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview). After collecting the completed forms, the administrator uploaded the data to the World Bank Data BLSS server hosted in the virtual cloud of the internet. Subsequently, the team in charge processed the final data for analysis. In this report, data were taken from 48,639 people from 11,660 households.
Postal Service: Connectivity to remote areas and E-services. In 2003, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Universal Postal Union UPU) and the Government of India initiated a project to bring the benefits of technology to rural populations and remote areas of Bhutan, using post offices as Communication cores (E-services) and postal delivery services. The VSAT system uses small terminals that can be installed in dispersed sites and connected to a central Hub thanks to a satellite. VSAT networks offer services capable of supporting Internet, LAN, IP Voice communications, video, data and allows to create powerful public and private networks of reliable communication.
Agriculture: ICTs are also used innovatively in the agricultural field. Mountain Hazlenuts has developed a digital data collection system based on Android, a remote tracking and monitoring system (RMT), which farm workers apply in the control of the growth and harvest of hazelnut fields. These technologies are integrated into each of the phases of the Mountain Hazelnuts business model: controlled laboratory production, sample growth, staff hiring, distribution, monitoring and extension, collection and payment, processing and export.
Meteorological service: Bhutan being a country with a high level of hydrometeorological risk, flooding by glacial streams (GLOFs), flash floods, landslides, river floods, wind storms, and risk of tropical cyclones, the Royal Government of Bhutan has been taken The weather control and forecasting plan is very serious, since the consequent effects of climate change have begun to be seen clearly. Important to highlight the joint research work on the ' Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security ' of CCIAR and CCAFS, where using geospatial techniquessuch as the ArcGIS platform, it was possible to analyze the prospecting of data focused on different parts of the country's geography in smart-villages.
Telemedicine in remote places of Bhutan. In 2003, the Bhutanese hospitals of Trashiyangtse and Lhuntse - both located in remote areas -, through the Druknet company via PSTN and through private Dial-up connection, were able to exchange knowledge about the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cardiovascular disorders, with doctors from Tokai University (Japan). The two are were equipped with laptops and ECG equipmentmultitask. The Japanese company Fukuda Denshi also participated in this experience, with its team of specialists with data analysis (ECG, echocardiogram and echocardiograms).
Teaching. Information and Communication Technologies have been integrated into both public and private schools and at all levels. ICT is used as a pedagogical tool, to create and stimulate learning in class, in order to increase quality education and according to our time.
Opening of Internet cafes. In 2000, the first cyber café opened in Timbu, the response was well received, especially among young people. According to data collected by the Government of Bhutan (RGB) in 2013, Internet access through cybercafes was 12%, while there were still rural populations that did not yet have that service.
Impact of the Media in Bhutan
Unlike developed countries such as the United States, Japan or others, where the media have developed progressively over time, the proliferation in Bhutan has been very rapid, with various forms of media coming together in a short space of time, such as Television, Internet and mobile phones. As a result, Bhutan is experiencing substantial changes that affect the customs of the family and society. The Ministry of Information and Communication of Bhutan (MOIC), conducted during the years 2003, 2008 and 2013 studies on the impact of the MediaIn Bhutanese society, they monitor trends, impacts and challenges. The changes are also reflected in the second elections of 2013, in the creation of community centers to improve access to information as well as with the increase in media and dissemination of new technologies. Bhutan is one of the last countries to introduce these means.
| Media Indicator | 2003 | 2008 | 2013 | AGR * |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audiovisual Production Companies | 42 | 96 | 112 | 10.3 |
| Bhutanese movies | 116 | 241 | NA | |
| Bhutanese books and publications | 207 | 1,181 | 2832 | 29.9 |
| Cable TV operators | 33 | 52 | 58 | 5.8 |
| Cable TV subscribers | 15,000 | 30,000 | 54,120 | 13.7 |
| Cinemas | 8 | 10 | 12 | 4.14 |
| Community centers | Four. Five | 100 | NA | |
| Computers (nationwide) | 9,000 | 13,500 | 20,983 | 8.83 |
| Satellite TV (DHT) | 2,000 | 16,632 | NA | |
| Landline subscribers | 23,657 | 27,937 | 27.005 | 1.33 |
| Internet Service Providers | one | 3 | 4 | 14.9 |
| Internet subscribers | 2117 | 109,526 | 133,289 | 51.3 |
| Subscribers dedicated line | 26 | 168 | 317 | 28.4 |
| Mobile phone subscribers | 2,255 | 228,347 | 560,890 | 73.6 |
| Newspapers | one | 4 | 12 | 28.2 |
| Radio sets | 37,000 | 77,800 | 49,641 | 2.98 |
| Radio stations | one | 4 | 7 | 21.5 |
| TV sets | 35,000 | 47,125 | 74,846 | 7.9 |
| TV channels | one | one | two | 7.18 |
AGR: Average Growth Ratio (%)
2020 Vision of the Government of Bhutan regarding ICT
In a report of 2004, the Royal Government of Bhutan establishes these plans:
Use of ICT for Good Governance. A democratic and decentralized governance is intended, where Information and Communication Technologies help and empower citizens to access knowledge and services, establish interaction between citizens and the Government. Establish a citizen participation project in which the needs that may exist are identified and solved.
Create a Bhutanese Info-culture. It promotes the open and free culture to share the information. Promote the entrepreneurial spirit promoted by the private sector. Facilitate the development of skills that allow everyone to access and disseminate information.
Create a “High-Tech” habitat. The Government is committed to enabling the deployment of infrastructure for the development and application of ICTs. From the global experience, people trained in digital technologies, entrepreneurial culture, access to capital, access to local and global markets, research and development are required. This environment will allow the Government and society as a whole to improve efficiency and business operations that will increase well-being and the economy.
More details in the report "Bhutan ICT Revised Roadmap" of 2015, where the agenda appears High Level Implementation of ICT scheduled for the following years until 2018.
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