A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 19 October to Sunday 25 October 2015.
Monday, 19 October 2015
BAHAMAS – Radar fiasco
Bahamas – As senior officials of the Department of Meteorology were telling the public during the passage of Hurricane Joaquin earlier this month that their radar was working all during the storm, forecasters were among themselves expressing outrage that the radar had gone down, and residents were not warned about the storm as early as they should have been… more
Cellular Liberalization Task Force: Cable Bahamas wins Phase II spectrum auction
Bahamas – The Cellular Liberalization Task Force (the Task Force) advises the public that Cable Bahamas Limited was determined as the successful bidder in the spectrum auction, and will now advance to satisfy the final pre-conditions for licensing… more
LIME/FLOW Merger Under ECTEL Spotlight
Regional – The major telecommunications merger in the Eastern Caribbean between LIME’s Cable and Wireless and Columbus Communication’s Flow is currently a challenge for the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL)… more
Talking Caribbean Tech in Belize
Regional – A full line-up of international tech experts will gather in Belize from Nov. 2 to 6, when the capital city plays host to a historic regional ICT development conference… more
Tuesday, 20 October 2015
Cable Bahamas wins mobile spectrum auction bid and is ‘ready for the next stage’
Bahamas – The Cellular Liberalization Task Force has announced that Cable Bahamas Ltd (CBL) is the successful applicant in the mobile spectrum auction… more
Cable ‘Will Do In Three Years What We Did In 20’
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas executives yesterday said the company could “do in three years what it has achieved in 20” as a result of winning the battle to be this nation’s second mobile provider, a success that could create up to 150 jobs… more
EDITORIAL: Remove mystique of cellphones and promote education
Barbados – WE ARE 100 PER CENT CERTAIN that any decision by the Ministry of Education to allow students to carry their cellular phones to school will bring with it a whole new set of administrative and disciplinary challenges… more
Flow is ensuring Customers remain No 1: New Emoji meters for rapid Input
Barbados – Barbadian telecoms provider Flow’s installed new instant meters at their retail outlets to gauge satisfaction in order to meet Barbadian customers expectations of proper service… more
New printer has one refill equal to 19 cartridges: Tech outfit relaunches website
Barbados – A technology outfit continues to seek a larger slice of the IT pie by revamping its website, and making it more accessible for users of touch-screen laptops… more
Social media fail?
Barbados – The Internet has revolutionised communications and like anything else has its benefits and disadvantages… more
Expanding The Digital Footprint
Belize – In the old days, a Belize ad in a glossy magazine or a 30 second spot on some obscure channel would be considered the gold standard in advertising… more
Government Launches Internal Directory Mobile App
Dominica – The Government of Dominica through the Information, Communication And Technology Unit is utilizing mobile applications to enable citizens to understand and access important information and services… more
New startup provides solar energy to rural families in Haiti
Haiti – RE-VOLT is on a mission to bring affordable and reliable electricity to families in rural Haiti and is running a crowd-funding campaign to help fund the expansion of its service to more customers… more
A Focus on Caribbean Broadband
Regional – The Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) is this week holding a regional workshop on broadband Internet development, in partnership with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU)… more
ECTEL Rejects Move By Flow To Increase Broadband Rates
Regional – The regional body governing the telecoms sector ECTEL is rejecting amendments made to an agreement it had reached with what it called merging parties Cable and Wireless Plc and Columbus International Inc (Flow)… more
Wednesday, 21 October 2015
Gov’T Urged: ‘Hold True’ To Promise On 3rd Mobile Licence
Bahamas – The Government was yesterday urged to “hold true to its promise” to eventually licence a third mobile operator in the Bahamas, and bring “true competition” to the industry… more
Cell talk
Barbados – CELLULAR PHONES have a place in the schools… more
Not me!
Barbados – He is accused of dishonestly obtaining telephone services worth $1 253. 21 from Cable & Wireless Barbados Limited on September 18, with intent to permanently deprive the company, by falsely representing that a Bank of Nova Scotia cheque in that amount, which he presented as payment, was good and valid… more
ITU makes computer donation to Belize
Belize – Five organizations, including three schools, will be benefiting from a computer donation by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in support of the Ministry of Energy, Science & Technology and Public Utilities’ (METSPU) mandate, which will be handed over in a ceremony tomorrow at the George Price Center for Peace and Development in Belmopan… more
Secondary school distribution of tablets completed
Dominica – The distribution of ASUS Memo 8 tablets to the Convent High, St Mary’s Academy and St Martin Secondary Schools on Wednesday 21 October 2015 signifies the completion of the ‘One Tablet Per Child’ secondary schools initiative undertaken by government… more
IDB lists technology´s gains, threats to Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic – Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) president Luis Alberto Moreno on Tuesday said the revolution which robotics and automation pose has become a threat to jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean, most notably in telemarketing… more
Guyana to relay TV programmes on border claim countrywide via satellite
Guyana – Plans are afoot to expand the reach of Guyana’s state-owned television via satellite to propagate messages about the country’s border controversy with neighbouring Venezuela, according to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo… more
Flow hit by vandalism in St James
Jamaica – Telecommunications provider FLOW has revealed that the parish of St James alone accounted for almost 3000 service faults recorded by the company during the first six months of this year… more
CANTO to Focus on “Inspiring ICT Innovations… “
Regional – CANTO will kick off its 2016 calendar of events with the 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the newly built Marriott Port-au-Prince, Haiti… more
CONCACAF 2018 World Cup Qualifiers Exclusively on Flow TV
Regional – Flow TV scores again as the network has signed an exclusive deal to bring live coverage of the CONCACAF 2018 Russia World Cup qualifying matches to viewers across the Caribbean… more
ECTEL partners with CTU to host broadband Internet development workshop in St Lucia
Regional – The Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) is this week holding a regional workshop on broadband Internet development, in partnership with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU)… more
ECTEL Raps C&W And FLOW Over Broadband Rate Hike
Regional – HE Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) says it has rejected amendments to an agreement for a merger between Cable and Wireless and Columbus International’s FLOW which recently announced an increase in broadband rates. ECTEL took this decision at its Council of Ministers meeting held in St Kitts last week… more
TSTT setting communities on Fibre
Trinidad and Tobago – TSTT is moving forward with its plans to provide quality, high speed broadband internet access to an increasing number of communities using its various Fibre-to-the- Subscriber services (FTTx)… more
Thursday, 22 October 2015
Chamber Chief Calls For ‘Dedicated’ ICT Minister
Bahamas – The Government was yesterday urged to appoint a dedicated Minister for communications and technology (ICT) and place the industry “at the top of its development plans”, amid fears the Bahamas will otherwise “fall further behind”… more
Tablets for Reynold Weekes pupils
Barbados – THE GIFT of more than 70 tablets to Reynold Weekes Primary School will help with the multi-pronged approach to learning… more
Belize Bar Association’s attempt to stop BEL and BTL final settlement denied by CCJ
Belize – The Government led by Hon. Dean Barrow has successfully settled the nationalizations of the Belize Electricity Limited and Belize Telemedia Limited in a case brought to the Caribbean Court of Justice brought by the Former owners of the company, Fortis Energy International and the Ashcroft Allied group of companies and entities… more
Broadband prices to increase next month – LIME
British Virgin Islands – Persons throughout the British Virgin Islands who use LIME’s broadband services will have to pay more for the various plans, starting November 1… more
Minister hails tablet distribution as fulfilled promise
Dominica – Minster for Education and Human Resource Development, Petter Saint Jean has described the delivery of over five thousand (5000) ASUS Memo 8 tablets to secondary school students around the island as “a promise made and a promise kept”… more
Wheatley demands publication of OUR’s ruling on VoIP blocking
Jamaica – Opposition spokesman on Science, ICT Dr Andrew Wheatley, is demanding that the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) discloses its final ruling on the blocking of Voice Over IP (VoIP) & Over the Top (OTT) services such as Viber, Whatsapp, and others by the island’s telecommunications operators… more
SKN latest market to go with the Flow; telco unveils VDSL broadband
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Pan-Caribbean telecoms giant Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) has announced that its Saint Kitts & Nevis-based LIME unit has been rebranded as Flow. Saint Kitts & Nevis becomes the second LIME-only market to embrace the Flow name (after the Cayman Islands) and the fourth overall (including former LIME/Flow markets Barbados and Jamaica)… more
C&W Business Develops Comprehensive Disaster Recovery Plans
Regional – C&W Business, part of C&W Communications, announced today that it has completed the development of a portfolio of Disaster Recovery Plans for each of the platforms on which it delivers Disaster Recovery as a Service… more
Commentary: Dear Digicel
Regional – Like thousands of other Caribbean residents, my family has been faithful customers of yours since 2001… more
FLOW blasted for announcing new rates before finalizing agreement with regulator
Regional – The Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) Council of Ministers has chastised the company formed from the LIME and FLOW merger for announcing new, increased broadband rates before finalizing an agreement with the regulatory body… more
Liberty Global swoops for £3.7bn CWC takeover
Regional – John Malone’s cable empire Liberty Global is in talks towards a £3.7bn takeover of Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC), the London-listed Caribbean telecoms operator… more
Telecoms Minister Reports On 32nd ECTEL Meeting
Regional – The Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) is charting a way forward as it relates to pertinent issues within the telecommunications sector… more
Friday, 23 October 2015
Minister: Cable & Wireless and Liberty Global takeover talks, no cause for concern
Antigua and Barbuda – As takeover talks between the leading international cable company Liberty Global and Cable & Wireless (CWC) hit the financial press on Thursday, Telecommunications Minister Melford Nicholas said it is too earlier to raise concern… more
Pressure on FLOW to back down on price increase
Antigua and Barbuda – Two of the leading Trade Unionists in Grenada, President of Grenada Union of Teachers (GUT), Lydon Lewis and President of the Technical and Allied Workers Union (TAWU), Chester Humphrey have expressed their total disgust and annoyance with the recent notification of a rise in price for Internet Broadband from Flow… more
Uncertainty whether LIME internet rate increases will take effect here
Antigua and Barbuda – While broadband users in at least four Caribbean countries have been informed of impending increases in rates by next month, representatives of LIME/FLOW have refused to confirm or deny whether prices will increase across Antigua & Barbuda… more
Cable TV services free to islands impacted by Joaquin until January 2016
Bahamas – As residents in south and central Bahamas work to rebuild their lives after the devastation caused by Hurricane Joaquin, Cable Bahamas has stepped in to offer some relief by suspending billing for cable television services on those islands through to January 2016… more
ICT groups want to join forces
Barbados – INCREASED CILLABORATION involving the three active information and communication technology (ICT) associations in Barbados is on the cards… more
Pressure on FLOW Grenada to back down on price increase
Grenada – Two of Grenada’s leading trade unionists have expressed their total disgust and annoyance with the recent notification of a rise in price for Internet Broadband from Flow… more
FLOW/OUR talks to continue on customer complains
Jamaica – FLOW is expected to return to the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) on Friday to provide more answers on how it plans to deal with increasing complaints from its customers… more
Neita Appointed CEO Of Global Directories
Jamaica – Ian Neita, who joined Global Directories in June this year as its business development director overseeing 12 of the company’s regional markets, has been promoted to the top job as chief executive officer of the regional operation… more
OUR requests FLOW responds to customer complaints by today
Jamaica – The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) has asked telecommunications company FLOW to provide details of its policy for handling prolonged system outages which is impacting its customers… more
Caribbean Students to benefit from Flow, One-on-One Education Partnership Educational material now available on apps, website and Internet
Regional – Cable & Wireless, operator of the Flow and LIME brands, has signed a landmark five-year exclusive partnership with One on One Education Services aimed at offering Caribbean students greater access to a wide variety of study materials for GSAT, CSEC and CAPE examinations… more
C&W takeover looming
Regional – CABLE & WIRELESS Communication Plc (C&W Communications), the parent company of Flow in Barbados could soon find itself the subject of a takeover… more
Digicel faces new threat via rival’s deal talks
Regional – Just two weeks after it abandoned a flotation in New York, Denis O’Brien’s Caribbean telco Digicel now faces the prospect of getting squeezed in a battle between two of the world’s biggest telecoms tycoons… more
New technology and the Caribbean
Regional – Will innovative or new technologies become a threat to vested interests in the Caribbean? … more
Shares in Cable and Wireless Communication soar by 21%
Regional – Shares in Flow Jamaica’s parent company, Cable and Wireless Communication have soared 21 per cent after it confirmed it was in takeover talks with US cable company Liberty Global… more
Saturday, 24 October 2015
Union closely watching LIME and Liberty Global talks
Antigua and Barbuda – The trade union body representing the interest of workers at LIME and FLOW said it is keeping a ‘watchful’ eye on the current acquisition talks with Cable & Wireless (CWC) and Liberty Global, the largest international cable company… more
C&W ripe for take over, says analysts
Barbados – Local Cable & Wireless officials were today mum about a possible takeover bid by international telecommunications provider Liberty Global, but two observers described the move as an interesting development… more
THE HOYOS FILE: Can FLOW get back its mojo?
Barbados – LIKE THE SNAKE (I am not using that term pejoratively) that swallowed the possum, Cable & Wireless is taking a long time to digest Columbus/FLOW… more
Laptops will allow teachers to keep pace with their students- Minister of Education
Guyana – September saw the introduction of the “One Laptop per Teacher” programme (OLPT), which replaced the “One Laptop per Family” programme (OLPF). Since the commencement of the programme, many questions have risen regarding the reason behind the initiative… more
Jamaica’s rising cyber attacks
Jamaica – Global Security Strategist, David Manky has urged Jamaican policymakers to think to the future and invest in cyber security… more
Letter Of The Day: Why Won’t Consumer Watchdogs Bite FLOW?
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: Why has no effective action been taken against FLOW to get it to redress the gross injustice inflicted on its clients when it withdrew some of its contracted cable channels without a commensurate rebate on its charges? … more
CWC’s talks could signal a new era of cable industry deals
Regional – It looks like after 150 years it’s time to finally say goodbye to Cable & Wireless… more
Capturing value in data
Regional – In God we trust. All others must bring data. — W. Edwards Deming… more
Sunday, 25 October 2015
Barbadians not filling surveys can hurt their own chances at growing regionally
Barbados – Barbados still is at the embryonic stage of D&A – not what CSI uses to solve cases but the term, Data And Analytics, where the number or locale of social media entries assist individuals and companies in creating better decisions on numerous activities… more
Social Media Helps The BTPA Fine Tune Their Outreach To Every Bajan To Improve Tourism
Barbados – Not resting on their laurels, the Barbados Tourism Product Authority continues to hone their database of clientele by analysing traceable social media to fine tune their outreach programme… more
“It wasn’t me!” GRA emailgate was Nandlall and Sattaur thing – Jagdeo
Guyana – Former President Bharrat Jagdeo recently urged the new government not to use the all important Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to get information on entrepreneurs. That can have serious repercussions on the economy and can cause citizens to lose trust in the system, he said… more
Image credits: Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Marketing Magazine
_____________
