A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 8 April to Sunday 14 April 2013.
Monday, 8 April 2012
Broadcast licences cannot be revoked without cause – Shaddick
Guyana – Chairperson of the Board of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) Bibi Shaddick says the agency cannot revoke licences without cause as the controversy over licences issued by former president Bharrat Jagdeo shows no sign of abating… more
Innovative Digital Terrestrial TV Operator Selects TITAN Software Platform from ATEME
Haiti – ATEME, a global leader in advanced video compression solutions for the broadcast industry, announced today that an innovative digital terrestrial TV service is being launched next month in Haiti by a new pay TV operator TiVi… more
Data Journalism – A New Paradigm In Storytelling
Jamaica – Some months ago, an editorial by the Chicago Tribune (one of the top five newspapers in the United States) on Jamaica’s debt crisis evoked a variety of responses from local commentators and leaders, spanning the political spectrum… more
Digicel Launches Tablet Experience In Primary Schools
Jamaica – Digicel will today donate more than 50 Huawei Media Pad tablets to seven primary schools in the Kingston East and Port Royal regions… more
Caribbean reaffirms commitment to cooperate on information society
Regional – The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) says Caribbean countries have reaffirmed their commitment to achieving targets set out in a plan of action for the knowledge and information society in the region… more
Columbus International Inc. Completes Acquisition of Karib Cable
Regional – Columbus International Inc. (“Columbus” or the “Company”), a diversified telecommunications provider in the Caribbean, Central America and Andean region, is pleased to announce that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Kelcom International Limited and certain of its related companies (together “Kelcom”)… more
Latin American countries adopt module for statistics on the information economy
Regional – A survey module developed collaboratively by UNCTAD and Latin American experts has been adopted by 18 Latin American countries, to aid in compiling statistics on the use of information technology by businesses… more
Mobile Number Portability, 22 – 26 April, 2013, Trinidad and Tobago
Regional – One of the most significant barriers to competition was the historical need for subscribers to change telephone numbers when changing service providers… more
High School teachers receive laptops in second phase of Governments One to One Laptop Project
St. Kitts & Nevis – Teachers in Government high schools in St. Kitts were the first recipients of the eagerly anticipated “Laptops for Teachers” phase of Government’s programme to raise the standard of teaching and learning through technology… more
Tuesday, 9 April 2013
Information Ministry workers down tools
Antigua & Barbuda – There is no end in sight for strike action which this morning brought work to a halt at the Ministry of Telecommunications… more
HBO Latin America and Cable & Wireless (LIME) Reach Broadcast Agreement
Cayman Islands – HBO Latin America Group and LIME, the Caribbean brand of Cable & Wireless Communications, announced an agreement today for the transmission of the HBO channels in the Cayman Islands on its new pay TV service, which will launch later this month… more
Digicel Donates Tablets To Kingston, Port Royal Schools
Jamaica – Telecommunications firm Digicel was at the school to donate 56 Huawei Media Pad tablets to the institution and six other schools in Kingston and Port Royal… more
Is Your Personal Information Secure?
Jamaica – Identity theft has been deemed one of the fastest growing criminal activities locally by law enforcers… more
Caribbean Open Data Conference
Regional –The Caribbean Open Data Conference is a regional technology conference and code sprint, focused on open data, software innovation, and technology trends. With over 900 conference attendees and 120 registered developers spread across 5 islands at the 2012 event, it is the largest technology conference in the region… more
Conax, Columbus deploy digital IP video platform
Regional – Columbus International, which operates a cable franchise in the Caribbean, Central America and Andean region, will deploy a digital IP video platform powered by Conax. Conax will demo its Xtend Multiscreen ecosystem this week at NAB Show in Las Vegas… more
Phone services down in Point
Trinidad & Tobago – Telephone communication was disrupted in the entire south western peninsula and environs yesterday when a TSTT fibre optic cable in Otaheite, South Oropouche was damaged… more
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
Frustration With BTC Billing Process
Bahamas – It amazes me to see all the upgrading of technology going on at BTC, and something as simple as your phone bill being sent to your post office box on time is a total disgrace… more
Web Shop Damages Fear ‘Rather Hollow’
Bahamas – The Chief Justice yesterday ruled that the web shop industry had produced no “credible evidence” it would be irreparably harmed without an injunction preventing its shut-down, describing claims of ‘financial Armageddon’ as “rather hollow”… more
LIME TV launches
Cayman Islands – Mobile phone provider LIME is moving into the world of television. They announced plans for LIME TV, which will be available to the public from Friday, 12 April… more
Businesses alarmed over cell phone ‘texting’ problems in workplaces
Guyana – One of the country’s foremost business organizations says it has been receiving numerous reports that the usage of cell phones in the workplace has been adversely affecting production… more
BUSINESS: House committee advancing pro-business cyber bill
Jamaica – United States House lawmakers are expected to finalize legislation today that would give the federal government a broader role helping banks, manufacturers and other businesses protect themselves against cyber attacks… more
Digicel St. Lucia starts SMS promotion for Jazz Festival
St. Lucia – Digicel has started a SMS promotion to celebrate the Jazz festival in St. Lucia… more
Data security key says Chamber boss
Trinidad & Tobago – T&T is lagging behind other countries in the area of detection of cyber crimes as well as crimes committed in other areas, says Catherine Kumar, CEO, T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce… more
Thursday, 11 April 2013
Day two of workers’ sit out
Antigua & Barbuda – Workers in the ministry of Telecommunications are on day two of their sick out, which started on Wednesday… more
Digicel Barbados to unveil ICT offering for business users
Barbados – Digicel will introduce an ICT products and services offering at a meeting scheduled for 11 April with over 100 representatives of Barbados’ corporate customers and SMEs. Digicel will offer these services in partnership with Avaya, Blackberry, NetApp and others… more
Guyanese software programmers in Caribbean race for the best problem-solving apps
Guyana – University of Guyana (UG) software programmers are part of a Caribbean-wide race to make open-source programmes to solve social problems in a range of sectors… more
Re-Examining education technology
Regional – Technology is having a positively disruptive impact on classrooms around the world. It is being fuelled by the functionality and affordability of consumer-friendly devices and the increasing accessibility of digital content, particularly via Internet… more
T&T No 1 in mobile network coverage worldwide
Trinidad & Tobago – Trinidad and Tobago has the number one mobile network population coverage in the world, a survey by the World Economic Forum has said… more
Friday, 12 April 2013
Digicel creating an enabling environment
Barbados – Digicel is opening dedicated Information and Communication Technologies (ICT’s) premises in Barbados in the former Courts building in Oistins to facilitate the mission of Digicel to also be known as a successful ICT services company… more
Embrace ICTs
Barbados – To be competitive Barbadians need to embrace ICTs, as theycan significantly drive development in Barbados… more
UTS Curacao Introduces Download Speeds Of 50Mbps
Curacao – United Telecommunications Services (UTS), a full-service telco established on Curacao in March 1999 through the merger of Antelecom and Setel, has announced the availability of a new range of high-speed broadband tariffs, with download speeds now peaking at 50Mbps… more
Cable Thieves Affecting Columbus Communications’ Service Delivery
Jamaica – Criminal activities are directly impacting Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited’s delivery of broadband networks in the island… more
Paulwell convenes first National Innovation Forum
Jamaica – Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining the Hon Phillip Paulwell will next Thursday host the first of a series of events to encourage and guide Jamaicans in the developing their innovations from concept to commercialisation… more
BUSINESS BYTE: Digicel launches BlackBerry Z10 across Caribbean
Regional – Digicel today (Friday) launched the new BlackBerry® Z10 smartphone powered by BlackBerry® 10 in the Caribbean… more
I.T. Strategy to Deliver First Grade Service to Citizens
St. Kitts & Nevis – The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has renewed its commitment to use information technology (IT) to reduce cost and improve efficiency in the public service as it meets the needs of an evolving population… more
Draft broadcast code by June 30
Trinidad & Tobago – The Telecommunications Authority of T&T (TATT) hopes to finalise consultations on the draft broadcast code and present it to Minister of Science and Technology Dr Rupert Griffith by June 30. He is the authority’s line minister… more
Saturday, 13 April 2013
CWC worried over PM’s criticisms
Bahamas – Prime Minister Perry Christie revealed yesterday that the head of Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) expressed concerns about public criticisms he made about the quality of service being provided by the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC)… more
Sunday, 14 April 2013
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Image credits: Wikipedia; Wikipedia
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“Digicel launches tablet experience in primary schools”
There were similar projects across the Caribbean last year ranging from private business to government ministries doing something about integrating technology in schools. These articles were highlighted on this forum.
I think this is just great and needs a lot of encouragement. Technology is set to be part and parcel of our lives. Unfortunately, because there a slight cost to it, a cross-section of our youths don’t readily have access to it.
This approach by Digicel and others is not just smart business, but also an excellent sense of corporate social responsibility.