Some people envision the perfect trip to the Caribbean as barefoot and cell-phone–free, but meeting professionals know that’s just not practical these days, no matter where you’re meeting. Barbados understands that, too, and the 21-mile-long island in the Lesser Antilles has created a program to offer free Wi-Fi access nationwide.
The Barbados Entrepreneurship Foundation launched the project, called 11.11.11 ON (named for the date in November that the Wi-Fi access would be live), to improve the experience for visitors, boost entrepreneurship, and increase access to technology for locals.
The Barbados Wi-Fi project won’t bring wireless Internet to every beach and hillside, but the Foundation is working with businesses and organizations across the island, “from bus stop to rum shop,” to have them voluntarily establish hotspots. Before the project began, free, public Wi-Fi could be found in only a few places on Barbados; now there are about 100 hotspots to choose from, and that number is expected to grow.
