A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 27 May to Sunday 2 June 2013.
Monday, 27 May 2012
EBITDA Target Vital To $40m BTC Spend
Bahamas – Achieving EBITDA margins greater than 30 per cent is vital to the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) maintaining annual capital expenditure at around $40 million, a senior executive has confirmed… more
Foreign expert for email probe
Trinidad & Tobago – Deputy Commissioner of Police Mervyn Richardson yesterday said foreign expertise on cyber crime is being sought in the investigation of emails alleging a conspiracy involving Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and senior Government officials… more
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Digicel Launch Affordable Android Smartphone: Introducing The Colourful and Fully Loaded Digicel Smartphone Dl600
Barbados – Digicel is making the Android experience affordable and accessible to all with the launch of its own affordable smartphone, which is now available at Digicentres across Barbados… more
Cuba to offer public Internet at salons islandwide
Cuba – Cuban authorities said Tuesday that they will begin offering public Internet access at more than 100 cyber-salons across the island, though home Web service remains greatly restricted… more
Tricom launches SingleRAN CDMA/LTE Network deployed by Huawei
Dominican Republic – Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, today announced the LTE network deployed by Huawei for traditional CDMA service provider Tricom has launched commercially in the Dominican Republic… more
Is GT&T holding this nation to ransom?
Guyana – Dear Editor, So GT&T decided to change its billing system (obviously a boardroom decision) with a claim that it will improve its service delivery. Oh please! … more
Broadband Map to be Developed
Jamaica – The Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining is moving forward with plans for the development, design and launch of an interactive broadband map, to assist in assessing the country’s broadband coverage… more
Cyber Security Task Force to Meet Next Month
Jamaica – The first meeting of the island’s Cyber Security Task Force is expected to begin next month, June 2013… more
ICT Has Become an Engine for Economic Growth – State Minister Robinson
Jamaica – Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson, says Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have become engines for social and economic growth globally… more
Online marketing on the menu at upcoming conference
Regional – Integrating social, mobile and data devices with core marketing strategies is the central intent of a special travel marketing conference. Online Marketing Strategies for Travel 2013 – The Americas and the Caribbean takes place on 4 and 5 June at The Ritz-Carlton, Coconut Grove, Miami… more
An e-mail primer
Trinidad & Tobago – Regardless of which side of the political divide you choose to support, it’s clear that the discussions about the recent revelation of a thread of e-mail conversations offered in Parliament by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley has provoked strong emotional reactions… more
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Landline market continues to grow – Telecoms manager
Antigua & Barbuda – s the popularity of mobile phones continue to grow and telephone companies internationally attempt to end landline services, Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) Telecoms Manager said the local market for landlines remains robust… more
Cuba to expand public internet access
Cuba – Cuba will expand public internet services next June 4 in some 118 cyber centers operating throughout the country, according to a statement issued by the island’s communications ministry… more
Belize Telemedia Sets Up The Country’s First Mono-Palm
Belize – Something at the Agriculture Show grounds in Belmopan is drawing the curiosity of the community. Their eyes are being drawn to a palm tree…or maybe not, well it looks like a palm tree but we found out that in reality it is called a monopole and it is a telecommunication tower placed there by the Belize Telemedia Limited… more
Cell number portability by next March?
Jamaica – JAMAICANS should, by March of next year, be able to transfer their telephone number to the telecoms carrier of their choice, according to Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining Julian Robinson… more
Gov’t Looks to Reduce Software Licensing Cost
Jamaica – A number of Government ministries and agencies will participate in the Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) Pilot Project, slated to get underway in July… more
Gov’t to Establish Cyber Response Team
Jamaica – Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT), which will assist in the protection of Jamaica’s Internet infrastructure by coordinating defences against and responses to cyber attacks and threats, is expected to be implemented in December… more
Number Portability by March 2014
Jamaica – Jamaicans will be able to retain their assigned mobile numbers across networks by as early as March 2014… more
Talk Gets Cheap – Reduced Mobile Rates Coming In Weeks
Jamaica – Jamaicans could be seeing further reductions in the cost of telephone calls within weeks. Telecommunications sources have told The Gleaner that the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) has made a final determination of mobile termination rates which is well below the $5-per-minute interim rate implemented last July… more
UWI Partners with Microsoft to Launch IT Centre
Jamaica – The University of the West Indies (UWI), in partnership with Microsoft, has established an information technology centre aimed to fostering innovation and stimulating a sustainable local software economy… more
Montserrat seeks EOIs for submarine fibre optic cable project
Montserrat – The Montserrat government Wednesday said it was soliciting Expressions of Interest (EOI) for its proposed submarine fibre optic cable project… more
Digicel hands over technical support services to Sierra
Regional – DIGICEL will transfer a range of technical support services at its Jamaican operations to a sister company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, the tecommunications company has announced… more
Thursday, 30 May 2013
Document: National Policy on Broadcasting for Anguilla
Anguilla – Available for download and distribution : The National Policy on Broadcasting for Anguilla. This is the first policy produced for the development of the Broadcasting Industry in this country… more
Cell message not getting through
Cayman Islands – Almost three people are caught each day using their mobile phones while driving, and police still feel education is key to save lives. Latest stats from the RCIPS show the message is still not quite getting through… more
Cuba Plans to Connect Homes to Web Eventually
Cuba – Cuba’s government plans to bring the Internet into people’s homes, but that is not the “initial priority” of its overall strategy to expand Web access, Communist Party daily Granma said Wednesday… more
Dominica to pioneer mobile education initiative for youth
Dominica – BrightPath Foundation, a youth-focused non-profit based in Trinidad and Tobago, is spearheading a mobile app development education initiative for the Commonwealth of Dominica…. more
Alarm over possible forgery of Telcor legal documents
Guyana – Questions of forgery have arisen regarding Telcor Broadcasting, the company which was granted five radio frequencies by then President Bharrat Jagdeo in 2011… more
Digicel to cut call rates
Jamaica – Telecommunications company Digicel, says it will be moving to cut call rates as the Office of Utilities Regulations prepares to set permanent termination rates… more
‘Historic’ Day For Talk – Our Sets $1.10 Termination Rate For Mobile Providers
Jamaica – IN A major decision by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) yesterday, the regulatory body approved a mobile termination rate (MTR) of $1.10 effective July 1, which will see consumers benefitting from a sharp decline from the current $5.00 per minute… more
Jamaica aims to improve technology sector against cyber attacks
Jamaica – The Jamaica government says it will soon implement a a cyber emergency response team (CERT) to assist in the protection of the island’s internet infrastructure by coordinating defences against and responses to cyber attacks and threats… more
Judge Us On Commitments- Robinson
Jamaica – GOVERNMENT MINISTER Julian Robinson has told the public to judge him and the Portia Simpson Miller-led administration by commitments he gave for the delivery of various projects while addressing legislators in the House of Representatives on Tuesday… more
New mobile rates to be known tomorrow
Jamaica – Jamaicans should get details of new, lower Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs) for calls across networks by tomorrow… more
OUR Announces $1.10 Mobile termination Rate
Jamaica – The Office of Utilities regulation (OUR)has approved a mobile termination rate of $1.10 down from $5.00 paving the way for a sharp reduction in call rates in Jamaica… more
Start-Up Jamaica to Provide Support for ICT Entrepreneurs
Jamaica – The Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (STEM) is set to implement the Start-up Jamaica initiative aimed at providing technical support to local entrepreneurs and innovators in the area of technology… more
Friday, 31 May 2013
BTC Deal ‘Way Beyond’ 129% Dividend Growth
Bahamas – The “national interest” means the Government has no reason to leave the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) alone, despite its projections of a 129 per cent increase in the dividends it will earn from the carrier… more
Cable Bahamas gets people talking with Sigma Systems
Bahamas – Sigma Systems, the leader in catalog-driven service fulfillment solutions, announced today that Cable Bahamas, a leading communications provider and first to offer Triple Play services to the Bahamas, … more
CTEX, The Newest And Most Advanced Tier-IV Data Center In Latin America And The Caribbean Is Completing Its Final Commissioning And Installation Phases
Curaçao – Curaçao Technology Exchange N.V. (CTEX) unveiled the final implementation details of its US$120 million dollar project to build the largest and most advanced data center complex to service Latin America and the Caribbean on the island of Curaçao… more
Dehring welcomes lowering of termination rates
Jamaica – LIME Chairman Chris Dehring has welcomed the lowering of the Mobile Termination Rate (MTR) as “fantastic news” for the company and Jamaican consumers… more
Digicel, LIME, Flow ready to battle
Jamaica – COMPETITION in the telecommunications industry intensified yesterday with Digicel’s announcement that it will, in the next two months, seek to capture a share of the lucrative fixed-line business dominated by arch-rival LIME… more
LIME blames taxes for drop in revenue
Jamaica – Lime Jamaica has blamed the imposition of the Special Telecommunications Tax on international calls and lower fixed to mobile retail rates for the big drop in revenue for the year ended March 31… more
LIME, Digicel welcome new termination rate
Jamaica – Telecommunications companies LIME and Digicel, have welcomed the move by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) to cut the Mobile Termination Rate… more
Vaz advises against 700 MHz band auction
Jamaica – West Portland Member of Parliament Daryl Vaz is cautioning the government against auctioning two licences for use of the 700 megahertz band… more
Five Foreign Nationals Arrested for ATM Skimming — Large Sum of Monies Confiscated
St. Maarten – Police arrested five foreign nationals who were busy skimming ATM machines belonging to the Windward Islands Bank (WIB) Thursday evening. The five suspects all of whom are foreign nationals were caught in the act… more
TelEm Group Network interference problem solved with help of local Regulator
St. Maarten – TelEm Group has written to the Bureau of Telecommunication and Post, St. Maarten, thanking the regulator and its staff for their prompt assistance in identifying recent interference to the company’s 3G mobile voice and data network… more
Saturday, 1 June 2013
GT&T should unblock access to sites streaming 98.1 HOT FM
Guyana – Dear Editor, I would like to appeal to the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company (GT&T) to unblock access by DSL Lite users to the following website that streams 98.1 HOT FM… more
No response or better service from GT&T
Guyana – Dear Editor, It is with utter frustration I am penning this letter. Despite numerous letters being published about the attitude and service of GT&T, we are still waiting for an answer or better service… more
Digicel Landline Plan Welcome
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: The fact that Digicel will be going after the fixed-line business made front-page news on Friday, May 31… more
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Digicel launches 4G services in Anguilla
Anguilla – Digicel has launched its 4G network in Anguilla, based on HSPA+ technology. To promote its 4G services launch across the island, Digicel has rolled out its Surf, Stream and Share marketing campaign… more
Even cheaper minutes
Jamaica – When number portability comes in, competition heats up, you should shop around for best phone plan… more
Use Technology to Become Creators – BCJ
Jamaica – Assistant Executive Director of the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica (BCJ), Karlene Salmon Johnson, is urging young people to use the power of technology to bring their creative ideas to life… more
CWC moves closer to the Caribbean
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communication announced plans to leave the UK after 140 years as it returned to profit after offloading businesses in gambling hubs Monaco and Macau… more
Image credits: Gary Thomson (flickr); Vector Engineers; Wikipedia; Wikipedia;
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