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

Cayman_Islands flag 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

Curaçao flagUTS 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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