A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 29 September to 5 October 2014.
Monday, 29 September 2014
BTC brings the latest technology to southern Bahamas
Bahamas – Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) is continuing its commitment to expand its access to high quality service and products to all of the nation’s major islands with the launch of a new flagship store in Deadman’s Cay, Long Island this coming Monday, September 29… more
BTL reports 7% drop in profits in FY2014; internet services in Belize exempt from tax from 1 October
Belize – Belizean state-owned telecoms provider Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) has announced a 7% annual decline in net profit, which dropped to BZD19.6 million (USD9.83 million) in the twelve months to end-March 2014… more
.AN Disappears After October 1
Curaçao – Those who still have a website or an e-mail address with an .AN extension will have problems on October 1 of this year. This domain on the internet will disappear on this date… more
Gov’t To Use Technology To Track Public Sector Workforce
Jamaica – THE DATE for the contracting of an entity to provide the State with a human capital management enterprise system (HCMES) has been pushed back to November, three months after the initial target of August was agreed on by the Government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)… more
Opposition member says Gov’t should involve LIME, Digicel in Chik-V fight
Jamaica – Labour Party caretaker for Eastern St Thomas Delano Seiveright is urging the Ministry of Health to partner with telecommunications companies Digicel and LIME in the fight against chikungunya… more
ICT Week: Information Technology Integral to Development
Regional – Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications, Christopher Herbert, believes that Information Communication Technology (ICT) is at the heart of the nation’s development and is happy that ICT week, held in St. Kitts, September 22-26 reflected that importance… more
Tuesday, 30 September 2014
LIME in the red
Barbados – Cable & Wireless (Barbados) Limited’s persistently healthy profits have buckled under the weight of a $103 million “major restructuring” programme that included the departure of more than half of its employees… more
JLP senator quits job at LIME, goes into private practice
Jamaica – OPPOSITION Senator Kamina Johnson-Smith has resigned her job as company secretary at LIME to enter private practice as an attorney-at-law… more
X-Rated Viewing On TVJ, CVM
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: I write to share the double standard meted out to people without cable access, especially in rural Jamaica… more
Columbus Brings Virtual Desktop Solution Options to the Caribbean, Central America and Latin America
Regional – Columbus International Inc., a diversified telecommunications provider in the Caribbean, Central America and Latin American region, today announced that it continues to strengthen and broaden its business partnership as a Citrix Service Provider… more
ECLAC Regional Workshop On The Development Of REDATAM Applications For The Dissemination Of Census Data
Regional – The REDATAM (REtrieval of DATa for small Areas by Microcomputer) software developed by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) is being used to improve access to population and housing census data for public and private sector researchers across the Caribbean… more
Wednesday, 1 October 2014
A conversation with… Randy Merren
Cayman Islands – Few people have been in the Cayman Islands media and entertainment business as long as Randy Merren… more
BUSINESS BYTE: Digicel launches promotion for Creole Music Festival
Dominica – Thousands of dollars in cash and prizes are up for grabs as Digicel launches its “Madness” promotion today in support of the upcoming world creole festival… more
Draft law banning phones in Dominican prisons step closer
Dominican Republic – The Chamber of Deputies has adopted on first reading a law prohibiting the use of mobile phones in prisons and establishing the blocking of mobile phones signals in gaols in the Dominican Republic, reports Dominicano Ahora… more
DL750 Enhances Customer’s Smartphone Experience
Grenada – Digicel is today launching the DL750 – the next generation in its line of affordable smartphones which will offer customers the best value as it comes loaded with cool new features that will sure to suit their varying tastes and lifestyles… more
E-Networks is O3b’s first LatAM client for high-speed internet via satellite
Guyana – O3b Networks on Wednesday announced that E-Networks has signed a multi-year agreement to use O3b’s unique ‘Fiber in the Sky’ satellite network… more
GT&T “does not have the capability to intercept emails”
Guyana – “Government agencies and private businesses especially need to recognize that most breaches in the security of their private networks originate from within.” … more
No unlawful disclosure of customers’ communications – GT&T
Guyana – GT&T yesterday said it wanted to clear the air on any perception that the company may somehow be involved in the unlawful disclosure of customers’ voice conversations, short messages(SMS) and/or electronic mails to law enforcement authorities or other third parties… more
Haiti’s transition to digital TV could cost up to USD30m
Haiti – Jean-Marie Guillaume, the director general of Haiti’s telecoms watchdog the Conseil National des Telecommunications (Conatel), has announced that the transition process from analogue broadcasting to digital terrestrial television (DTT) could cost up to USD30 million, domestic news source Haiti Libre reports… more
GK gets nod for mobile money
Jamaica – GRACEKENNEDY Payment Services (GKPS) got approval from the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) to proceed with a pilot introduction of a mobile money service… more
Latty: Flow Not Bothered By Digicel’s Entry In Cable Market
Jamaica – Columbus Communications Jamaica, operator of Flow, says it is not bothered by Digicel’s entry into the cable market, saying its track record, developed over eight years of operation, positions the company to take on new rivals… more
Tablet ecstasy
Jamaica – AN entry in any search engine should bring up information on the tablet called ‘Ecstasy’ — described as one which creates hallucinations, delusion, and a sense of euphoria… more
Digicel, Sportsmax keen on providing more regional content
Regional – THE MONTH of September marked the partnership of telecommunications company Digicel and television channel Sportsmax. SportsMax and North American broadcaster CEEN-TV… more
Talking Regional Cybersecurity in Curacao
Regional – The best way to improve the security of a computer network is to break into it… more
Tech heavyweights network for Caribbean development
Regional – Caribbean people have an appetite for technology that rivals any other region of the world. But who is working behind the scenes to maintain and upgrade the Internet-based services on which we’ve come to depend? … more
National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – The National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) will once again be hosting a public awareness drive under the Kingstown Post Office this Friday, October 3rd from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm… more
Thursday, 2 October 2014
Telecoms provider introduces flat rate
Antigua and Barbuda – Starting yesterday, telecoms provider LIME announced what it termed an innovative model in which customers will pay one flat rate for prepaid mobile calls… more
Data Protection Commissioner to Hold 2nd National Training Symposium
Bahamas – The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, along with the Department of Information Technology and the Cyber Crime Unit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, wishes to announce its second National Training Symposium, under the theme “Presenting the 7th Data Protection Principle – Personal Data Security Offline and Online.”… more
BTL records 19.6M in profits and gives more to customers
Belize – As of October BTL’s internet rates will be $25 for 256Kb, $56 for 512Kb, $88 for 1Mb, $140 for2 Mb, $240 for4Mb, $390 for 8Mb, and as a new service $700 for 16Mb… more
Dominican Republic regulator studies internet costs
Dominican Republic – The Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel) has announced the creation of a commission to examine in depth the structure of prices and costs of internet service in the Dominican Republic… more
Digicel launches Double Bubble promotion for Observer TSO
Jamaica – Telecoms giant Digicel, in celebration of the Jamaica Observer’s Takes Style Out (TSO) premier fashion event, is giving shoppers even more value for their money with the launch of its Double Bubble promotion starting 5:00 pm today… more
ICT/BPO Players Hail New No GCT Regime
Jamaica – WESTERN BUREAU: STAKEHOLDERS IN the information and communication technology/business process outsourcing (ICT/BPO) industry have welcomed the passage of a bill in the Senate to remove general consumption tax (GCT) from goods purchased locally for use in free zones… more
Jamaica Begins Building 49 More IT Training Centers
Jamaica – Jamaica has begun building another 49 IT skill training centers, with Prime Minister Simpson Miller urging youths to take part in the country’s “information technology revolution.” … more
LIME ready to partner with Gov’t in Chic-V fight
Jamaica – LIME Jamaica yesterday expressed a willingness to partner with Government in its bid to help stem the spread of the chikungunya virus… more
Mozido, JCCUL and Paymaster Announce Rebrand of Their Jamaican Mobile Wallet Solution, Now CONEC Mobile Wallet
Jamaica – Mozido, a global leader in mobile financial services, in partnership with the Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League (JCCUL) and bill payment service provider, Paymaster, announced the rebrand of Jamaican mobile wallet JCUES, now CONEC Mobile Wallet, during a hosted press release in Kingston, Jamaica on Wednesday, September 24… more
Claro Launches Unlimited, No-Contract Family Plans
Puerto Rico – Wireless provider Claro announced this week its new lineup of calling plans featuring unlimited, no-contract offers for families looking to share services… more
Tech experts talk regional cyber security at CaribNOG in Curacao
Regional – Cyber security was top of the agenda as over 80 technology professionals from 15 countries gathered in Curacao for the second day of a major regional technology conference… more
Why data infrastructure upgrades are the next step in regional evolution
Regional – Many Caribbean livelihoods are made and lost around seasonal fluctuations in foreigners’ travel. For much of the region, tourism, an all-too-inefficient form of intraregional human traffic, is economic lifeblood… more
Google demands more time
Trinidad and Tobago – GLOBAL internet and email provider Google Inc has written US district court judge William Orrick to seek additional time to respond to a subpoena by the Integrity Commission to the company as it relates to the former’s emailgate investigations… more
Friday, 3 October 2014
BTC Starts Out Island Roll-Out
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has unveiled the first of four Family Island retail stores that it will roll-out over the next two months… more
Shakespeare in Paradise 2014 launches on Cable 12
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas, a major sponsor of the annual Shakespeare in Paradise festival, lived up to its Cable 12 “Watch Us and See Yourself” maxim with the television premiere of the celebrated Bahamian folk opera “The Legend of Sammie Swain,” which aired on September 28th… more
Digicel winners
British Virgin Islands – Yesterday yet another person collected $500 cash from Digicel in their “Everyone’s a Winner” promotion… more
LIME to give away $10,000 on Friday
British Virgin Islands – LIME, the British Virgin Island’s leading telecommunications provider will end its $60,000 giveaway on Friday October 3… more
E-Networks first in LatAm to use O3b’s ‘fibre in the sky’
Guyana – Guyanese internet service provider (ISP) E-Networks has signed an agreement with O3b to use the company’s ‘fibre in the sky’ satellite broadband network, making it the first Latin American telecoms operator to be introduced onto the O3b system since it initiated commercial operations earlier in this year… more
Ballard to deploy extra fuel cell systems in Digicel telecom network in Jamaica
Jamaica – Canadian-based Ballard Power Systems has received an order from its Caribbean distributor, Precision Power & Air (PP&A), for 13 ElectraGen™-ME fuel cell backup power systems to be deployed in the Digicel mobile phone network in Jamaica… more
Enhance financing to BPO sector, says Tufton
Jamaica – THE Government is not taking the BPO/ICT sector seriously enough, according to former commerce minister, Christopher Tufton… more
Saturday, 4 October 2014
New BTC Flagship Store For Long Island
Bahamas – BTC is continuing its commitment to expand its access to high quality service and products to all of the nation’s major islands with the launch of a new flagship store in Deadman’s Cay, Long Island this coming Monday, September 29th… more
Be careful what you share
Barbados – This multi-billion dollar website, Facebook, which has more than 1.2 billion users, is one of the leading social networks in the world… more
Digicel, Saviour Or Scrooge?
Jamaica – In 2003-2004, my ex showed me how we could text back and forth with 555, a free avenue of sending text messages using a system that is provided by telecommunications companies like Digicel and LIME… more
LIME Announces Flat Rate Plan
Regional – LIME, the Caribbean’s leading telecommunications provider has announced one simple flat rate prepaid plan for St. Kitts & Nevis. The simplified, flat rate plan takes effect October 1, 2014… more
LIME Nears End of 4G Upgrade
Saint Lucia – LIME has delivered on its promise and is about to complete the upgrade of its 4G network island-wide. This makes LIME, St. Lucia’s only provider of 100% island-wide 4G, the company said yesterday… more
Microsoft Innovation Centre opens Monday
Trinidad and Tobago – The new Microsoft Innovation Centre (MIC) which opens on Monday will provide training for future business owners, said Frances Correia, country head for the tech giant in T&T… more
Sunday, 5 October 2014
OUR Hunts Number Portability Manager
Jamaica – The Office of Utilities Regulations (OUR) is recruiting a provider of number portability administration services to Jamaican telecoms ahead of its May 2015 number portability rollout… more
OUR opens auction for single number portability administrator licence
Jamaica – THE Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) will start vetting companies aiming to offer back office number portability services in December… more
Phone finally replaced after four repairs
Jamaica – Dear Claudienne, I Iive In Hanover. On March 22, 2014, I purchased a BLU Zoey phone from a Digi el agent in Lucea, Hanover… more
Image credits: Mars Hill Church (flickr); SLU News Online; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
____________
