A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 3 November to 9 November 2014.
Monday, 3 November 2014
BTC Store for Spanish Wells, Eleuthera
Bahamas – Regardless the size of the island or its community, BTC is giving the same retail opportunities, products and services in new and glamourous, full-service BTC stores throughout The Bahamas… more
More speed
Barbados – Barbadian businesses and households will soon be able to access “the fastest Internet speed ever”… more
BPO Industry Hails Fast-Tracking Role Of Business Incubator
Jamaica – Western Bureau: Stakeholders in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry have welcomed the planned establishment of a 200-seat business incubator in the Montego Bay Free Zone, slated to become fully operational by December 2014… more
Mandeville Goes ‘Superfast’ With LIME 4G Upgrade
Jamaica – Mandeville, the commercial hub of central Jamaica, has recently experienced the Superfast LIME 4G HSPA+ mobile Internet speed. With on-the-go connectivity of up to 21MB per second, residents in and around the booming university town can now enjoy a more powerful Internet experience… more
Internet Experts: Next Decade Could Bring Widespread Harm From Cyberattack
Regional – Be afraid of potentially devastating cyberattacks, and be better prepared to guard against them. But also be wary of the risks – especially to privacy – that accompany a growing focus on cyber-security that may exaggerate some threats… more
Ruffin woman’s home phone hacked, charged $6,094
Regional – Joyce Lewis loves catching up and chatting with family and friends, and self-proclaimed herself as “old fashioned” when it comes to using the telephone… more
Tuesday, 4 November 2014
Appeal Hearing Begins in Case of Telemedia Supreme Court Judgment
Belize – Great Belize Productions Limited was once a subsidiary of Belize Telemedia Limited through a trio of overseas companies… more
Cell phone, laptop thief jailed
Guyana – Cleveland Alleyne stole one cellular phone valued $9000 and a laptop worth $120,000 from Joro Azore on October 28, last. He appeared before the Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday morning and was jailed for nine months… more
GT&T Technician electrocuted while working on utility pole
Guyana – A Technician attached to the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) was electrocuted while working on a utility pole just after midday yesterday… more
Parents will soon be asked to pay for tablets
Jamaica – Parents will be required to absorb the cost of tablet computers after the 30,000 devices now being distributed free to 30 schools islandwide under the $1.4 billion Schools Tablet Computer Programme pilot, has ended… more
Wednesday, 5 November 2014
BTL wants back Channel 5
Belize – The civil appeal of Channel Overseas Investments Limited, Katalyst Developments Limited, Thames Ventures Limited, Great Belize Productions Limited and several former directors of Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) continued before the Court of Appeal this afternoon… more
Court of Appeal Reserves Judgment in Telemedia Case
Belize – The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment in the case against Great Belize Productions, formerly a subsidiary of Belize Telemedia Limited… more
Bail for quartet accused of stealing GT&T cables
Guyana – Four men accused of stealing cables from Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), were placed on $60,000 bail each by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday… more
Jamaica to Set up Cyber Incident Response Team
Jamaica – Jamaica will be establishing a Cyber Incident Response Team as it moves to strengthen the country’s virtual security platform… more
Web demand
Jamaica – Internet café start-up Cyberbox Lan Centre is already looking to near triple its seating capacity to meet the growing demands of the market by March 2015… more
ICT expert Ronald Hinds: Technology can enhance competitiveness
Trinidad and Tobago – ICT has changed the way in which industrialisation for small economies like T&T can happen, said Ronald Hinds, chairman of the e-commerce Roundtable of T&T… more
Thursday, 6 November 2014
BTC’s revenues down 2% in fiscal H1
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), part of Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), recorded revenues of USD 171 million in the first half of fiscal 2014-15, ended 30 September, down 2 percent compared to USD 175 million in the same period the previous fiscal year… more
UPDATE: Digicel responds to C&W purchase of Columbus Intl
Jamaica – Telecommunications company Digicel has responded to the news of Cable and Wireless Communications’ plans to buy Columbus International… more
UPDATE: We have to wait and see, Flow employees say of C&W purchase
Jamaica – Employees of cable TV provider Flow said this morning that they have taken a “wait-and-see approach” as news broke that British telecoms firm Cable & Wireless Communications (C&W) have entered into a deal to purchase their parent company Columbus International… more
BUSINESS BYTE: LIME announces coming of Apple iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus to its Caribbean market
Regional – LIME, the only authorized carrier in the English-speaking Caribbean of the Apple® iPhone® 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, has announced their expected arrival just in time for the holiday season… more
Cable & Wireless Communications drops 8% on news of $1.85bn Caribbean deal
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communications has dropped 8% after issuing shares to pay for a $1.85bn deal… more
Cable & Wireless Communications Plc Proposed Acquisition of Columbus International Inc Placing of New Shares
Regional – The Board of Cable & Wireless Communications Plc (“CWC” or the “Company”) today announces that it has agreed terms to acquire Columbus International Inc (“Columbus”) for consideration of approximately USD1.85bn (for 100 per cent. of the equity)… more
Cable & Wireless Communications Plc Results for the Six Months Ended 30 September 2014
Regional – Group revenue up 1% (2% at constant currency); mobile revenue up 3% with mobile data up 10% … more
Columbus International Inc. Agrees to Terms of Acquisition by CWC
Regional – The combined business will: Deliver broader pro-consumer product offerings and improved services Inject state of the art TV and next-generation super-high-speed broadband technology into CWC Deliver huge opportunities to the Business and Government sectors Provide rapid lead in fixed mobile convergence through premier network platform… more
CWC records net profit of USD 103 mln in fiscal H1
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) recorded a net profit of USD 103 million in the first half of fiscal year 2014/15, ended 30 September, compared to a net loss of USD 8 million in the year-ago period… more
LIME posts revs of USD 143 mln in fiscal H1
Regional – Lime, the Caribbean business of Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), posted revenues of USD 143 million in the first half of fiscal year 2014-2015, ended 30 September, up 6 percent compared to USD 135 million in the year-ago period… more
Big buck$ for cable
Trinidad and Tobago – Fed up of FLOW? … more
Down-the-Islands’ gets full mobile and internet coverage via bmobile network and solar energy
Trinidad and Tobago – YOU might think Chacachacare is remote and rustic but like many other communities that are off the beaten path in Trinidad and Tobago, it’s not too far for blink / bmobile to outfit it with the latest in mobile and wireless broadband technology… more
Pantin: TT must deal with piracy
Trinidad and Tobago – DIRECTV Trinidad Limited’s General Manager, Bernard Pantin, says Trinidad and Tobago “cannot strive to be a (regional) leader” in the Information Communications and Technology Sector (ICT) while turning “a blind eye to such rampant piracy” as the unlicensed and unauthorised transmission of certain shows and/or television networks… more
TSTT co-owner to acquire Flow
Trinidad and Tobago – The names are many but the acquisition is one… more
Friday, 7 November 2014
$1.9bn Deal Boost For BTC TV Plans
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) TV launch plans were yesterday boosted by a $1.9 billion “game changer” that will likely increase its ability to compete head-on with Cable Bahamas for market dominance… more
BTC Left ‘Flat’ By Price/Cost Cutting
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) controlling shareholder yesterday blamed its “flat” first-half financial performance on preparations for cellular competition, with net income matching last year’s $37 million… more
Embrace technology
Barbados – Minister of International Business and Commerce Donville Inniss is insisting that the state must embrace and employ the latest in technology if it is serious about making it easier for individuals to do business… more
FTC waiting for formal notification
Barbados – The regulator of utility companies in Barbados is yet to officially hear from Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) on its proposed acquisition of Columbus International Inc., but says it is keeping a close eye on the developments… more
Mixed reaction to C&W, FLOW deal
Barbados – News of Cable & Wireless’ buyout of rival Columbus International made waves in the telecoms sector today, with customers expressing concern about the “monopoly” and one analyst calling on the Barbados Government and others in the region to block the deal until it has “secured guarantees open to public scrutiny and monitoring”… more
Analog to digital switchover plan approved by Cabinet
Guyana – Cabinet has approved the final draft of the roadmap that outlines the process of transition from analog to digital television broadcast. This was announced by Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon… more
Cable & Wireless seeks to ease anxiety among Flow staff
Jamaica – CABLE and Wireless Communications Plc (CWC) yesterday said it hoped its acquisition of Columbus Communications International will be finalised by the first quarter of next year and sought to ease anxiety among Flow Jamaica staff about the future of their employment… more
Digicel extends $2.95 rate to int’l calls, offers free social networking
Jamaica – Digicel Jamaica this week extended its $2.95-per-minute plan to mobile calls to US, Canada and UK landlines, while offering free social networking on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to its mobile data customers… more
Cable & Wireless To Acquire Flow Parent For US$3b. Digicel Knocks Deal As Bad For Competition
Regional – Digicel’s Group slow creep into the cable market has been trumped by chief rival Cable & Wireless Commu-nications (CWC) with a massive deal announced on Tuesday that is expected to eventually merge the operations of phone company LIME with triple-play operator Flow… more
TelEm Group technicians planning restoration blitz in Betty’s Estate area this weekend.
Sint Maarten – TelEm Group technicians say they are not deterred by the copper thieves who are hampering their restoration work around the island… more
CWC mega deal worries TATT: Unfair Edge
Trinidad and Tobago – Concerns have been expressed that Cable & Wireless Communication’s (CWC) proposed US$3 billion acquisition of regional cable provider Columbus International (also know as FLOW) could lead to a decline in telecommunications competition across the region and anti-competitive behaviour in T&T… more
TDC Launches ‘The Travel App’ For Trinidad And Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago – his country took its destination marketing to a technological level with the soft launch of ‘The Travel App’- a joint initiative between the Tourism Development Company and the app’s developers, Smart Channel… more
Saturday, 8 November 2014
Fear of telecoms monopoly
Regional – Former chairman of the Telecommunications Authority (TATT) Dr John Prince says the country’s telecoms market is “rolling back to monopoly”… more
Improved Service Promised
Regional – CABLE and Wireless Communications PLC (CWC) has reached a conditional agreement to acquire Columbus International Inc.… more
Malone To Become C&W Shareholder In Caribbean Deal
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communications Plc (CWC) agreed to acquire cable TV and Internet provider Columbus International Inc. to expand in the Caribbean and Central America. The deal also gives billionaire John Malone a stake in the enlarged company… more
CWU has ‘deep concern’ over Columbus Int buyout
Trinidad and Tobago – The Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) has expressed “deep concern” over the US$3 billion buyout of Columbus International, also known as Flow, by Cable and Wireless Communications plc… more
Howai to meet with TSTT
Trinidad and Tobago – FINANCE Minister, Larry Howai, will meet with the management of the State-owned Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) and its line minister, Public Utilities Minister Nizam Baksh, to discuss the implications of a proposed US$3.02 billion acquisition of Columbus International Inc and Cable by Wireless Communications (CWC) on TSTT… more
TSTT workers stay away
Trinidad and Tobago – THE Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) office at St James Street, San Fernando, remained closed for a second day yesterday, as workers walked off citing health and safety issues… more
Sunday, 9 November 2014
CCT promises call-in customer service for 24 hours
British Virgin Islands – While claiming that CCT Global Communications has made significant strides in improving its customer service, Marketing and Public Relations Manager at the telecoms provider Janette Brin has disclosed that customers will soon benefit from 24 hour call-in customer service… more
CWC hails LIME Ja for mobile growth, points out hurdles to Columbus acquisition
Jamaica – LIME Jamaica won praise from its parent, Cable & Wireless Communications Plc (CWC), for increasing mobile traffic, which the UK-based company said resulted in the local provider topping a utility providers customer satisfaction survey… more
Bring It!
Regional – Cable and Wireless Communications Plc CEO Phil Bentley has thumbed his nose at Digicel, which will be pushing for a rigorous review of the Columbus International deal by regulators, saying his mobile rival might be feeling spurned… more
Remarks at the Americas Competitiveness Forum Competitiveness and Innovation Luncheon
Regional – Thank you, Minister Tewarie. And also to Janelle Commissiong, Deputy Chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Tourism Development Company… more
Will telecom merger succeed?
Regional – On Thursday, millions of people across the Caribbean woke up to the news that Cable & Wireless Communications, which has been operating in the Caribbean for more than 130 years, had acquired cable and fibre provider Columbus International Inc (which trades across the region as Flow) for US$1.85 billion plus US$1.17 billion in net debt… more
Image credits: NS Newsflash/flickr; Belize Web; Marketing Magazine; Curacao Connected; Wikipedia
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