This is a roundup of the ICT/technology news across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 19 September to Sunday 25 September 2011.
Monday, 19 September 2011
LIME hike
Barbados – Barbadians will pay more for their landline telephones from next month… more
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Big ICT push
Jamaica – THE Government has set a target to facilitate the build-out of 500,000 square feet of space for the business processing industry over the next three to five years as part of its plan to double information and communication technology (ICT) jobs in Jamaica over that period… more
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
BTC Working Non-Stop On Exuma Repairs
Bahamas – BTC officials in Exuma today said teams were working seven days a week to complete post-hurricane repairs and expected fixed line and internet service on the mainland and surrounding cays to be “fully restored ” in less than two weeks… more
Washington’s hostile Cuba policy affects telecommunications, says report
Cuba – The over 50-year US economic, financial and commercial blockade of Cuba, inevitably referred to by American administrations as an “embargo”, have inflicted on Cuba losses surpassing $7 million just from May through April 2010, according to a Cuban report circulated at the United Nations… more
GT&T boss gripes on Facebook; gov’t comments
Guyana – CEO of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) Yog Mahadeo has taken to his Facebook page to protest what he sees as the government’s opposition to the company’s expansion but the administration wasted no time in responding and not via the “like” button… more
Wi-Fi hotspots increase across Barbados
Barbados – Free Wi-Fi is now available in 15 of the 22 community centres across the island, with the remaining seven expected to be able to boast of the same feature quite shortly, thanks to the Barbados Entrepreneurship Foundation (BEF)… more
C&WJ Shares Gain J$0.5B On Digicel Deal With Claro
Jamaica – Shares in telecoms giant Cable & Wireless Jamaica (C&W) jumped 43 per cent to gain roughly $530 million in the two weeks following the conditional approval of Digicel’s acquisition of rival Claro… more
Court to rule in LIME/Digicel row
Jamaica – The Supreme Court will today rule on two applications by telecoms provider LIME which is seeking to overturn Prime Minister Bruce Golding’s approval of the merger between its chief rival Digicel, and Claro…more
Thursday, 22 September 2011
Barrow says lower electricity rates and internet GST gone
Belize – The Independence Day ceremony was also an opportunity for PM Barrow to make announcements about the two recently acquired utility companies… more
Digicel “appalled” that parliament pushes back telecoms law
Guyana – Digicel Guyana Thursday said it was appalled at yet another aborted attempt at liberalisation in Guyana… more
Telecoms bill passage deferred until after election
Guyana – The government has deferred the passage of new telecommunications legislation in the National Assembly to the 10th Parliament which will be formed after the 2011 regional and general elections which are constitutionally due by December 28… more
Jamaican phone apps, the next cultural export
Jamaica – A team of four Jamaicans based in the United States have had its Real-Vibez mobile application added to the line-up of application downloads offered by multi-media retail giant Apple… more
Mobile apps for TT users
Trinidad and Tobago – Pan is now a mobile app. Digital Business has developed this new piece of technology for pan lovers and avid learners so they could practise their skills. With time being a high-demand commodity and the cost of a pan may seem out of budget, pan via phone or tablet may be the next best thing… more
PSC: Innovative must release phone numbers to competitors
US Virgin Islands – Innovative telephone services must share its landline phone numbers with competitors by June 16 next year – 16 years after the technology became federal law – a majority of the V.I. Public Services Commission voted Wednesday… more
Friday, 23 September 2011
BTC wants to charge for directory assistance
Bahamas – Cell phone and normal phone line users could start paying for calls to directory assistance if the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) gets its way… more
Caribbean government urged to improve security arrangements
Saint Lucia – A regional Information and Communications Technologies (ITC) conference has been told that Caribbean governments and businesses need to constantly improve their security networks that are constantly under attack from hackers… more
Saturday, 24 September 2011
BTC says no directory assistance charge coming soon
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) said it does not plan to institute a charge for using directory assistance until the service can be upgraded… more
Governor: Broadband project will have ‘no problem’
US Virgin Islands – The V.I. Next Generation Network board took a number of actions Friday to help the network meet the federal requirements necessary to hold onto millions in broadband funding… more
Sunday, 25 September 2011
– nil –
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