A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 3 December to Sunday 9 December 2012.
Monday, 3 December 2012
Ministry plans info sessions on schools’ tablet distribution programme
Antigua & Barbuda – Parents, who have been in the dark about how the government’s distribution of tablet computers to students will be administered, will have their questions answered this week… more
Digicel increases data limit to 50 MB between 6AM to midnight
Guyana – Digicel (Guyana) Monday announced that the data limit for mobile users between the hours of 6am to midnight has been increased to fifty megabytes (50MB) while unlimited data will continue to be provided from midnight to 6am… more
Apple confirms iPhone 5 launch in 50 more countries
Regional – Apple has announced that the iPhone 5 will be available in South Korea beginning 7 December, with more than 50 additional countries being added in December, including… more
Ignition Achieves Silver Competencies for SharePoint
Regional – Ignition Ltd., a leader in off-shore IT services, announced it has achieved SharePoint Silver competencies, showcasing its ability to meet Microsoft’s customers’ evolving needs in today’s dynamic business environment. With this status, Ignition is part of an elite group of Microsoft providers world-wide… more
These Are The 61 Countries Most Vulnerable To An Internet Shutdown
Regional – For 52 hours last week, Syria joined the unfortunate club of countries whose governments have chosen, however briefly, to return their citizens to the digital dark ages… more
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
Cable Bahamas launches holiday home phone promotion
Bahamas – Building on its great success to date, Cable Bahamas, providers of the REVOICE telephone service, has launched its intensive end-of-year campaign to promote the service. David Burrows, head of marketing at Cable Bahamas, says that the level of satisfaction among its subscribers has been tremendous… more
Cybercrimes legislation under review due to rapid tech development
Jamaica – The Jamaica government says it increased efforts will be made to speed up parliamentary debate on the Cybercrimes Act… more
CWC joins pan-American cable consortium
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communications has become one of the founder members of a consortium to build a new submarine cable system that will increase access to fast broadband and pay TV in the Caribbean, Central and South America… more
UTS CEO: Sint Maarten ‘Not Left Out In The Cold’ By PCCS
St. Maarten – United Telecommunication Services (UTS) CEO Glen Carty has denied that Sint Maarten has been ‘left out in the cold’ by the recently announced Pacific Caribbean Cable System (PCCS) submarine link, TodaySXM.com reports… more
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
4G Service For Cat Islanders
Bahamas – Ever since the Bahamas Telecommunications Company launched 4G in Nassau less than 12 months ago, the company has been working to upgrade its infrastructure countrywide… more
Implementation of ICT programme underway in public schools
Bahamas – The Ministry of Education has spent $2.2 million over the past four months to improve the technological infrastructure of 76 Primary and Secondary Public Schools throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas… more
PM Considers BTC Rivals
Bahamas – Prime Minister Perry Christie said yesterday the government is not satisfied with the level of service from Cable and Wireless and are in negotiations with another telephone company to provide telephone services… more
LIME delivers OTT video with a Caribbean flavor
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communications’ Caribbean division, LIME, has introduced a new over-the-top (OTT) video service with a lineup of over 130 linear channels as well as a VOD library, based on technology from US firm Entone… more
OECS Agriculture Stakeholders advance ICT skills through Web 2.0 Learning Opportunities workshop.
St. Lucia – Agriculture stakeholders in Saint Lucia have advanced their knowledge and application OECS in ICT through the first OECS Web 2.0 Learning Opportunities workshop… more
Thursday, 6 December 2012
E-books take a bite out of local paperback sales
Antigua & Barbuda – A local bookshop representative is crediting e-books with a slump in sales – but remains philosophical about the future of the industry… more
Youth worker calls for new porn laws
Antigua & Barbuda – With the proliferation of pornographic videos involving young people being circulated island-wide, there is a call for new laws to address the issue… more
BTC To Gov’t: Stick To Existing Cellular Liberalise Timetable
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) ha “no problem” with opening up the Bahamian cellular market to competition provided it takes place in accordance with the timetable set out when it was privatised, Tribune Business was told yesterday… more
Digicel in talks to enter Bahamas market
Bahamas – Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Perry Christie, said on Tuesday he has had talks with regional mobile phone service provider Digicel about entering the Bahamian market once the Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) monopoly on cellular services ends… more
Telemedia to launch Digicell 4G Network
Belize – Telemedia is amping up the ante as they get ready to launch the much touted Digicell 4G network… more
Dominica improves E government ranking
Dominica – Dominica has been ranked 73 in the region, E government development ranking, according to the United Nations… more
Lotto scamming a natural product of conman culture, says Dunn
Jamaica – Director of the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) Professor Hopeton Dunn reckons that the lottery scam is a sequel to the culture of conning and harassment of tourists which have been prevalent in the resort city of Montego Bay for many years… more
Friday, 7 December 2012
BTC gives pre-paid customers a price break and plans bounty of Christmas goodies
Bahamas – Pre-paid BTC customers are in no rush to hang up their mobile these days, instead, enjoying the free ten minutes of chat that automatically kicks-in after five paid minutes… more
BTC promises better service by Christmas
Bahamas – Customers who are frustrated with the Bahamas Telecommunication Company’s (BTC) cellular phone service should see an improvement before Christmas, company senior vice-president Marlon Johnson said yesterday… more
Mitel and LIME offer business communications solutions
Cayman Islands – LIME recently invited members of the business and information technology community to an informative presentation on Mitel communications solutions at the Westin on Wednesday, 28 November… more
C&W Communications Praises LIME For Mobile Fight-back
Jamaica – London-based Cable & Wireless Communications (C&W Communications) lauded its Jamaica subsidiary LIME for its mobile ‘fight-back’ campaign which bolstered mobile subscriber growth by 20 per cent in the latest quarter… more
LIME bemoans resurgence in copper cable theft
Jamaica – Telecommunications firm, LIME, is reporting that there has been a resurgence in the theft of its copper cables and other articles of metal over the past 6 months… more
Lime Recruits Carlo Redwood
Jamaica – LIME Jamaica has appointed former marketing manager at Pepsi-Cola Jamaica, Carlo Redwood, as its head of marketing, effective November 26… more
Richard Fraser appointed COO at Digicel Jamaica
Jamaica – Digicel Jamaica has promoted Richard Fraser to the role of chief operating officer… more
Columbus Business Solutions Positions Itself To Expand Cloud-Based Services In Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico – Columbus Business Solutions (“CBS”), the business services brand of Columbus International (“Columbus”) is pleased to announce the promotion of Felix Lugo to the position of Country Manager for its Puerto Rico operation, positioning itself to fulfill its cloud expansion plans in the country… more
Saturday, 8 December 2012
First Set of Samsung Galaxy Tabs Purchased for Students
Antigua & Barbuda – The first tranche of Android tablets secured as part of the GATE Program are on their way to Antigua and Barbuda, according to Digicel’s marketing manager Troy Byrne on Friday… more
Consultations For Allocation Of Computer Tablets Ongoing
Antigua & Barbuda – A parent/guardian information session on the Government Assisted Technology Endeavour (GATE) was held at the Antigua Girls’ High School and the St Mary’s Secondary School this week… more
Digicel Guyana cuts phone prices by 70% this Christmas
Guyana – Digicel Guyana will cut prices on selected handsets by up to 70 percent for the Christmas holidays… more
bmobile powers Digital Pan expansion
Trinidad & Tobago – Bmobile, the mobile division of Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT), has powered the launch of an application dubbed ‘Digital Pan’. The Digital Pan Mobile App was developed by Caribbean software application development company Digital Business… more
Sunday, 9 December 2012
GT&T introduces ‘Call Home Card’ for the holidays
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) is promising crystal clear, reliable and cost effective connections, through its recently introduced Guyana Call Home card… more
Teachers told: Don’t fear technology, use it
Jamaica – Thaddeti Tulloch and Tousan Royal are convinced that traditional teachers will not be replaced by technology… more
Image credits: NS Newsflash (flickr); Marketing Magazine; The Eleutheran; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
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“Government Assisted Technology Endeavour (GATE) programme … a partnership between the Government of Antigua & Barbuda and Digicel”
A very innovative approach to corporate social responsibility on the part of DIGICEL.