A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 26 January to 1 Sunday February 2015.
Monday, 26 January 2015
Cable Bahamas Ltd “beefs up” executive team as it pushes for the country’s second mobile license
Bahamas – In a move to strengthen its executive team and prepare for opportunities ahead, Cable Bahamas Ltd announced today the addition of David Burrows and David Van Dyke to their senior executive group…. more
Digicel successfully pulls off Reality TV in the Caribbean with the ‘Ultimate Mission’
Jamaica – Digicel put its own spin on reality TV last weekend when it pulled off the ‘Ultimate Mission’ event in Jamaica which has been described as a first for the Caribbean… more
Lime Social Media Fans To Select 14Th Lucky Couple For 14-14-14
Jamaica – Fans on LIME’s social media pages cast a vote last weekend to select the 14th lucky couple who will exchange vows on Valentine’s Day in the 14 -14-14 wedding extravaganza being organised for the second year by MSW Events Ltd… more
Caribbean Telecommunications Report Q1 2015 – New Market Study Published
Regional – 2015 seems poised to be a big year for the Caribbean, with a number of major developments that could transform the telecom industries in a number of markets… more
DirecTV’s Pantin on telecom providers: Tighter regulations must be met
Trinidad and Tobago – Bring on the competition. This was the reaction from direcTV’s general manager Bernard Pantin to the prospect that Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) will get approval to acquire Columbus International… more
Tuesday, 27 January 2015
Cable Drops Basic TV Price Increase Appeal
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas has quietly dropped its appeal to the Utilities Appeal Tribunal (UAT) over the previous regulatory decision not to approve a 27 per cent increase in the price of its basic pay-TV service… more
Phones ‘Confiscated By Police’ At Crash Scene
Bahamas – POLICE are investigating a traffic accident that has left a female tourist in serious condition in hospital… more
Is Wiretapping a Reality in Belize?
Belize – Has the Government of Belize secured highly trained Israeli surveillance team to monitor phone conversations and text messages? … more
Cuban youth build secret computer network
Cuba – Cut off from the Internet, young Cubans have quietly linked thousands of computers into a hidden network that stretches miles across Havana, letting them chat with friends, play games and download hit movies in a mini-replica of the online world that most can’t access… more
Teleperformance Announces Expansion of Global Footprint to Georgetown, Guyana
Guyana – Teleperformance (Paris:RCF), the global leader in outsourced multichannel customer experience management, announced today it will open a customer care facility in Georgetown, Guyana later this quarter… more
National Cyber Security Strategy to be launched
Jamaica – The Technology Ministry is to officially launch its National Cyber Security Strategy on Wednesday, January 28… more
Robinson receives report on gov’t website hacking
Jamaica – MINISTER of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (MSTEM) Julian Robinson has received the preliminary Cyber Incident Response Report from the team of cyber-security and forensics experts, comprising the Organization of American States (OAS), Government of Uruguay and technical officers from several ministries and agencies in Jamaica… more
CTU celebrates 25th Anniversary with ICT Week in Port of Spain
Regional – Prime Minister of Grenada Dr Keith Mitchell is among several high-profile speakers to present at a regional conference to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) next week… more
Wednesday, 28 January 2015
Catron admits using ICT network to annoy
Cayman Islands – Sandra Catron pleaded guilty in Grand Court on Tuesday to a charge of using an information and communications technology network to annoy… more
LIME Customers Targeted with Phishing E-mail Scam
Cayman Islands – Several gullible customers of “Landline, Internet, Mobile, Entertainment” (LIME) one renowned telecom company, were recently targeted with an e-mail scam… more
High-speed wireless can help ganja farmers protect legal crops – Sinclair
Jamaica – Garfield Sinclair, LIME Jamaica chief executive, indicates that ganja farmers can utilise Internet connectivity to remotely monitor their crops… more
Partnership between CWC & Columbus International to transform Jamaica’s broadband Internet
Jamaica – From positioning to become the telecommunications provider of choice to the proposed global logistics hub, to helping children in rural Jamaica get their homework done, the partnership between Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) and Columbus International will solidly support and transform Jamaica’s broadband Internet future… more
US to Help Jamaica Widen Internet Access and Bolster Energy Infrastructure
Jamaica – The United States has offered technical and financial assistance to Jamaica for harnessing renewable energy resources and widening Internet access to rural areas… more
Julian Wilkins appointed as Chair of Canto
Regional – Julian Wilkins, Digicel Group Head of Telecommunications Public Policy, was yesterday appointed as chair of the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organisations (CANTO), the leading authority in shaping information and communication in the Caribbean… more
Merger Decisions Won’t Be Driven By Emotion, Says Lime Boss
Regional – Managing director of LIME Jamaica and Cayman Islands, Gareth Sinclair, said Tuesday that the planning process for the integration of the regional services of Cable & Wireless Communications Plc and Columbus International Inc in some 50 countries were advanced even as the companies await regulatory approval across multiple markets… more
Thursday, 29 January 2015
Anger At Proposed Price Rise For Cable
Bahamas – DOZENS of frustrated cable customers demanded that the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority deny all proposed price increases by Cable Bahamas Limited, citing that the triple play provider is “using its monopolistic power to rob consumers blind”… more
Master Motivator Spence Finlayson fires up BTC Yellow Pages Agents
Bahamas – Bahamas based , international motivational speaker, corporate trainer and author of Dare To Be Great : Overcoming Life’s Challenges On Your Way To The Top ! Master Motivator Spence Finlayson was the featured presenter at Bahamas Telecommunications Company Directory Publications Sales Seminar held at the BCPOU Hall in Nassau, Bahamas… more
Broadband complaints prompt TRC action
British Virgin Islands – The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) has launched a consultation in relation to the fixed broadband market, adding that the aim is to address ‘the high level of complaints received’ about fixed broadband provision by the dominant supplier, LIME BVI… more
Fraser defends introduction of Digicel, BiWater
British Virgin Islands – While accusing members of the governing National Democratic Party (NDP) of continuing on what he calls a dangerous road of ‘conflict of interest,’ Opposition legislator Julian Fraser has sought to defended an often questioned decision he made years ago to introduce Digicel and BiWater into the local market… more
OAS Co-Hosted Launch of Jamaican National Cyber Security Strategy
Jamaica – The Organization of American States (OAS) today co-hosted with the Government of Jamaica, the launch of the country´s National Cyber Security Strategy in Kingston, Jamaica… more
CARICOM body calls for reports on CWC/Colombus
Regional – The Caricom Competition Commission says the proposed acquisition of Columbus International Inc by Cable and Wireless Communications Plc “has the potential to prejudice trade and prevent, restricts or distorts competition within the CSME with the possibility of cross-border effects.” … more
New app launched
Regional – LIME Caribbean has launched another innovative digital software, My LIME Self Care App, which is designed to give customers across the region greater access and more control of their own mobile services… more
Use WhatsApp for FREE with Digicel
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Is Social Media a part of your everyday life? Have you ever run out of Data allocation at a time when you really needed it? … more
TelEm Group to continue internet maintenance work Friday.
Sint Maarten – TelEm Group has announced that it will be carrying out the second in a series of maintenance works on the company’s DSL internet services Friday… more
Blink bmobile is Technology partner for TIC
Trinidad and Tobago – TRINIDAD and Tobago’s and arguable the Caribbean’s largest Trade show the TTMA’s Trade and Investment Convention (TIC) will take place from July 8th – 11th, 2015 at the Centre of excellence, Macoya, and TSTT will continue to be a major sponsor… more
Trini in Kazakhstan designs new game app
Trinidad and Tobago – Martenn, Trixy and Plex save the Buccoo Reef is the name of a new game designed by Saleem Khan, a Trinidadian currently living in the faraway city of Almaty in Kazakhstan… more
Friday, 30 January 2015
Gang crime a social media phenomenon
Cayman Islands – Young people who post graphic images of gang lifestyles on social media risk being “branded” as thugs forever because “Facebook never forgets,” police chief David Baines cautioned… more
Insurance Impact Of Cell Phone Ban
Jamaica – Question: I read in this newspaper that a Joint Select Committee of Parliament is now reviewing the new Road Traffic Act. I… more
OAS hails Jamaica’s cyber security efforts
Jamaica – ASSISTANT secretary general of the Organisation of American States (OAS), Ambassador Albert Ramdin, says that Jamaica has made a sound choice of a model for its National Cyber Security Strategy (NCSS)… more
Telecoms merger has potential to prejudice trade, says CARICOM Competition Commission
Regional – The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Competition Commission has concluded that the agreement by Cable and Wireless Communications Plc (CWC) to acquire Columbus International Inc. (Columbus) has the potential to prejudice trade and prevent, restrict or distort competition within the CARICOM Single market and Economy (CSME), with the possibility of cross-border effects… more
What a Major Telecom Merger Means for the Caribbean
Regional – Implications of the merger between Cable & Wireless and Columbus Communications are fraught with many nuances that only the most astute and those with a keen understanding of where the future lies can fully appreciate… more
As bullying video goes viral – Student says sorry for action
Trinidad and Tobago – A Barataria South Secondary student, who appeared on a social media Web site last week with what appeared to be a weapon in her waist while admonishing another student in a classroom, has apologized… more
CAL employee held in $.5m cellphone theft
Trinidad and Tobago – Police yesterday recovered approximately $500,000 in cellphones and SIM cards belonging to Cellular Planet at a home along the Southern Main Road, Cunupia… more
Saturday, 31 January 2015
– Nil –
Sunday, 1 February 2015
GT&T announces faster land-line Internet speed; mobile data speed still lagging
Guyana – Landline Internet users will “in the very near future” experience ten times faster bandwidth speed but mobile users would have to wait a bit longer because government is yet to grant approval for frequencies to allow 3G and 4G services… more
Balanced approach to merger
Regional – CABLE & WIRELESS Communications (CWC) chief executive officer Phil Bentley recently answered several questions related to the company’s operations and its plans for Barbados and the Caribbean this year. Following is the first part of that interview… more
Image credits: carterse (flickr); Wikipedia; Facebook; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
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