A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 3 February to Sunday 9 February 2014.
Monday, 3 February 2014
‘BTC deal netted under $100 mil’
Bahamas– The government netted less than $100 million for selling 51 percent of the shares in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) to Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) in 2011, …. more
Amerindian Communities Begin Receiving Cheques For Establishment Of OLPF Hubs
Guyana – The distribution of cheques for the construction and refurbishing of infrastructural facilities to house Information Communication Technology (ICT) hubs in hinterland communities is underway… more
Internet Access For Rose Town Community
Jamaica – The inconvenience for most residents of Rose Town in Kingston who had to travel outside of their community to access Internet service has been eliminated following the hand-over of an expanded and refurbished computer lab to the Rose Town Benevolent Society in January… more
St Lucia, St Vincent, Grenada Work to Improve Regional Telecom Network
Regional – Governments of the Eastern Caribbean have taken what could be a significant step toward harmonizing their countries’ investments in telecommunications infrastructure… more
The well-connected home
Trinidad and Tobago – Last Wednesday, TSTT launched its Gigabit Community Project, which combines a pilot programme and research initiative that puts a fully symmetrical gigabit connection into upscale residential households at Legacy Housing Development in Chaguanas… more
Tuesday, 4 February 2014
Bahamians Tired Of BTC Debate
Bahamas – EDITOR, The Tribune. Perhaps it will not be too far-fetched to suggest that the ongoing BTC and Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) debate will once again be reinvigorated among the aristocratic class and the media after it was published in The Nassau Guardian that former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham sought to regain the majority of shares in BTC his government sold to CWC… more
New BTC Cell Sites Increasing Capacity/Coverage for Improved Performance and in Preparation for 4G LTE, Now Testing
Bahamas – The need for additional mobile network capacity and coverage to support the BTC customer base increase is being met with six new cell towers on New Providence over the next six weeks… more
URCA: ‘Impossible’ to say how soon mobile competitor will enter market
Bahamas – Until the prime minister makes a decision on what process will be used to select a new telecoms provider in The Bahamas it is “impossible to speculate” about how long after the expiration of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) exclusivity period it will be before a new mobile operator comes into the market… more
Internet land rush
Cayman Islands – It’s pretty automatic when we go online and type a web address into our browser, we usually type in “.com,” right? … more
Wireless phones in 911 safety hang up
Cayman Islands – Well more than half of the households in the Cayman Islands cannot be pinpointed exactly by the territory’s 911 emergency communications system if the 911 caller is unable to communicate with dispatchers… more
Internet café & printing services opens in St Joseph
Dominica – Residents of the community of St Joseph will soon find it easier to do business away from the City of Roseau with the opening of a new establishment there… more
Mobile Money Initiative Orange m-peso Launches in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic – Today the first mobile wallet was launched in the Dominican Republic by the leading prepaid telco operator (Orange) and the largest bank (Banco Popular Dominicano)… more
Given the technology Guyanese can interact meaningfully as a nationally distinct group
Guyana – Dear Editor, When Virginia Woolf wrote that the world changed in 1910 she was alluding to the sudden arrival of what can be called ‘modernity.’ … more
Bad Connection With LIME’s Customer Care
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: Having lived in the United States for more than 40 years, I decided to come home. Boy, what a culture shock it has been for me! … more
Jamaica Police First in Caribbean to Use Automated Data Request System
Jamaica – Jamaica Constabulary Force has become the first police force in the Caribbean to deploy a customised electronic document and records management (EDRM) technology… more
Opposition urges govt to use Telecoms tax to finance public CCTV
Jamaica – Newly appointed Opposition Junior Spokesman on Science, ICT, Digital Society Development and the Environment, Councillor Duane Smith, has suggested that the government utilise resources from the taxes paid by the telecom companies to finance an island-wide Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system to support crime fighting… more
Harmonising Caribbean Communications Infrastructure Development
Regional – Governments of the Eastern Caribbean have taken a significant step toward harmonising their countries’ investments in telecommunications infrastructure. A regional project, called the Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Programme (CARCIP), is bridging the gaps in regional broadband communications development… more
ON THE LEFT: Single ICT space can bring benefits
Regional – Information and Communication Technology (ICT) combines information, knowledge, processes, and technology to provide a foundation for driving efficiencies and fuelling innovation… more
Wednesday, 5 February 2014
BTC Targeting 25% Mobile Data Growth
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday said it is projecting 25 per cent growth in mobile data traffic this year, and will have invested “north of $18 million” in its cellular network in the 12 months to end-March 2014… more
Telecom regulator announces US$62.0M optic fiber network
Dominican Republic – Dominican Republic’s telecom regulator (Indotel) aims to develop the “national optic fiber network” to carry telecom services across the country, using broadband technology for wider scope and accessibility… more
Lenovo partners with Intcomex in push for greater local market share
Jamaica – Intcomex has partnered with the top PC maker to push the brand locally as part of a drive by Lenovo to capture a larger share of the Caribben market, particularly among corporate customers… more
Wireless start-up to begin offering Internet next month, targeting tourists
Jamaica – START-UP telecommunications company Noble Wi-Fi plans to begin offering its wireless Internet access to the north coast next month… more
Denis O’Brien is upbeat on stocks for 2014
Regional – CHAIRMAN and founder of international mobile telephone company Digicel, Denis O’Brien, is bullish about global stock markets and sees a bright future for equities… more
Flow imports dancehall channel in new audio deal
Regional – Columbus International which operates cable provider Flow inked a deal with Canada-based Stingray Digital to provide dancehall and other music channels to the region… more
Thursday, 6 February 2014
BTC Demands Fee Rate Cut
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has demanded a full percentage point cut in Communications Fee rates, warning that the Government’s grab for surplus regulatory revenues has “diminished goodwill” in the sector… more
Bahamian Signal Piracy ‘3x Wider’ Than Thought
Bahamas – Satellite Bahamas allegedly used more than three times’ the number of accounts initially thought to pirate DIRECTV’s signal, with the programmer having added the wives of the company’s two principals as defendants… more
F1RST Media’s new app dominates Apple Store
Regional – F1RST Media Ltd, a Caribbean-based technology company, has released its online platform F1RST —a virtual network that provides users with rich, beyond-directory data on businesses and places throughout the Caribbean region… more
Blink – ‘Tomorrow begins today’
Trinidad and Tobago – BLINK recently celebrated the country’s first Gigabit Community in Legacy Housing Development Chaguanas at a time when there are very few gigabit communities anywhere in the world. But what is a gigabit community? … more
Friday, 7 February 2014
BTC patches up network, calls for licence fee changes
Bahamas – Wireless monopoly provider Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has revealed that it will have invested more than USD18 million in upgrading its wireless network in the year to-end March 2014, including USD3 million on six new towers in New Providence… more
BTL Says No More Int’l Locked Phones
Belize – Last week, 7News told you about the decision that BTL made to change how the double and triple up credit works for their different promotions… more
Cable Targets 35% Voice Share From Number Portability
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas yesterday said it was hoping number portability will drive it to a 30-35 per cent fixed-line voice market share by 2014 year-end, describing its penetration levels to-date as “remarkable”… more
Chief Operations Officer of B.T.L., Karen Bevans, steps down from the job
Belize – Karen Bevans, the Chief Operations Officer of the country’s largest telecommunications provider, Belize Telemedia Limited, has announced her resignation, effective the end of March.… more
BrightPath, Columbus hold mobile app workshop in Grenada
Grenada – A new initiative from BrightPath Foundation is taking a radical approach to Caribbean digital content creation. Called TechLink, the new project is already being described as a revolution in community-driven technology-driven education for the region… more
LIME Responds To Complaints
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: Thank you for affording LIME opportunity to respond to previous letters of complaint The Gleaner published earlier this week. As Jamaica’s telecoms value provider, we pride ourselves on delivering a superb and consistently positive customer experience… more
Attorney General Warns West Virginia Residents About Phone Scam
Regional – Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is warning West Virginians about a new telephone scam that can inflate their cellphone bills… more
Broadband, Spectrum, E-waste, Key Topics at CANTO’s 30th AGM in Jamaica
Regional – Montego Bay, Jamaica was the melting pot of ICT activity when over 85 delegates consisting of members and invited guests from a membership of 134 based in 34 countries convened at the Half Moon Hotel… more
In St Lucia, Harnessing the Creativity of the Caribbean Region
Regional – The Caribbean region, known for the creativity of its people, is now making decisive moves to harness that innate resourcefulness… more
Saturday, 8 February 2014
– Nil –
Sunday, 9 February 2014
Samsung to open store in MoBay
Jamaica – FOLLOWING the success of the flagship location opened in Kingston last September, Samsung Electronics is all set to open doors to a second store at the Sagicor Montego Bay Shopping Centre in St James this week… more
Image credits: FreeDigitalPhotos.net; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
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