Roundup: for the week ending 4 October 2015

A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 28 September to Sunday 4 October 2015.

Monday, 28 September 2015

LIME Warned To Obey The Law

Antigua and Barbuda – Cable & Wireless has been warned that it should adhere to the laws of the country or it could face a lawsuit from a trade union… more

What’s the Confusion Over Remaining BTL Compensation?

Belize – The Opposition has lashed out at one particular aspect of G.O.B.’s settlement with the Ashcroft Group – what they call a blank check issued by government. The reference is to the uncertainty over the final figure which will be paid as compensation for B.T.L… more

British Virgin Islands hosting regional telecommunications conference

British Virgin Islands – Technology issues related to regional development will be explored at an Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) conference, scheduled to be held here from September 28 to October 1… more

LIME brings field services in-house

Cayman Islands – Two years after Cable and Wireless company LIME outsourced parts of its maintenance services to Ericsson, laying off 39 people, the telecommunications provider has announced it is bringing the field services back in-house… more

Outsourced LIME workers return to fold

Cayman Islands – Telecommunications giant, LIME, has ended an outsourcing relationship with a business partner and in the process returned more employees to its fold… more

Gov’t to launch ‘One Tablet Per Child Initiative’

Dominica – The Dominica Government will on Wednesday 30 September 2015 officially launch its ‘One Tablet Per Child Initiative’ at the Pierre Charles Secondary School in Grand Bay… more

Gov’t to launch tablet program Wednesday

Dominica – Secondary school students on the island will begin receiving the much talked about tablets promised by the government of Dominica, Minister for Information, Science, Telecommunication and Technology, Kelver Darroux has announced… more

E-Govt. Unit advancing transmission, data networks and ICT Hubs

Guyana – The E-Government Project has progressed to the point where benefits are expected to be reaped by the end of the year… more

Dehring departs after CWC/Columbus merger

Jamaica – Cable & Wireless Communications, Plc (CWC) has announced that Chris Dehring, chairman of Lime Jamaica and a member of the senior executive team, has decided to return to the forays of entrepreneurship after six transformative years with the company, effective September 30… more

Bitt sees growth spurt in the Caribbean

Regional – The Caribbean’s leading financial tech company, Bitt.com, has an expanded team, poised to make Barbados the preeminent technological hub of the region… more

Charles Wilkin’s Presentation To UNESCO On Ethical Dimensions Of The Information Society

Regional – :I have been asked to address you on the theme of your meeting focusing on the constitutional right of access to information. I will make a few observations on the theme at a macro level and give a little history before getting to the topic of focus… more

Marketing Strategies Today: Thirteen rules to build your personal brand on Facebook

Regional – Everything people do in public, their behaviour, their appearance, things they say and even people that they hang out with, is done for self-promotion in mind… more

Saint Lucian artist launches music mobile app

Saint Lucia ­– Twenty-two-year-old Hip Hop /Carib-Rock Fusion artist Bryanson “Saint” Soulage who hails from the community of Soufriere has made it easier for his core-fans and future fans to access his music via mobile app powered by ReverbNation… more

Tuesday, 29 September 2015

Cellular liberalisation auction commences

Bahamas – The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA), is pleased to announce that the spectrum auction for the selection of the second cellular licensee has begun, with both remaining Qualified Applicants, Cable Bahamas Limited and Virgin Mobile Bahamas Limited participating in the Auction…. more

Final Stage Of Bidding For Cellular Licence Begins

Bahamas – AFTER a five-month delay, the final phase of the selection process for the country’s second mobile services provider has begun, the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority announced yesterday… more

‘Golden Opportunity’ For Ex-Btc Employees

Bahamas – Former Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) staff have been allowed to form a company that will have the “right of first refusal” to supply services to the carrier, a trade union leader says… more

New Mobile Provider Unveiled In October

Bahamas – The Government is now aiming to announce the winning bidder for the second mobile licence next month, with the private sector “anxious” for the arrival of competition that should bring improved services and lower costs… more

URCA: Spectrum auction begins

Bahamas – After some delay, and amid increasingly wild speculation, the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) announced yesterday that the spectrum auction for the selection of the second cellular licensee began yesterday morning, with Cable Bahamas Limited and Virgin Mobile Bahamas Limited participating… more

Belize Internet Marketing & Website Design Launches New Placencia Real Estate Website for Vision Properties

Belize – Today, Belize Internet Marketing & Website Design is excited to unveil the new Vision Properties Belize website… more

P.M. Wards Off Criticism from BTL Employees

Belize – Prime Minister Dean Barrow announced on Monday that general elections will be held on November fourth, 2015, that is only three years and eight months into his second five year term in office… more

Digicel Wins 2015 Ethicalcorp Responsible Business Award For Its Role In The Restoration Of Haiti’s Education System

Haiti – Digicel, a leading provider of communications and entertainment services to customers in the Caribbean and South Pacific, has won a 2015 Ethicalcorp Responsible Business Award for its efforts to help rebuild the education system in Haiti following the country’s devastating 2010 earthquake… more

Frustrated With Flow

Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: Is it that FLOW/LIME has absolutely no respect for the Jamaican people? … more

C&W Business Launches in Costa Rica

Regional – C&W Business, a division of Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), is the new brand for telecommunications and business services in Costa Rica… more

Caribbean telecom officials meet in VI

Regional – One way to improve telecommunications service in the Caribbean is to create what regional officials call a “single ICT space,” and leaders from around the region and members of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union are in the Virgin Islands this week to discuss the best way to achieve that goal… more

Digicel IPO: Ignore The $13-$16 Price Range… What’s A Fair Value Per Share?

Regional – So ever since Denis O’Brien started popping up at regular intervals on CNBC and Bloomberg, maybe eighteen months ago now, I knew in my gut he had a whopping great IPO in the works… more

St. Kitts and Nevis pioneers the way across the OECS on ethics in an Internet age

Regional – Over 23-24 September, UNESCO was back in St. Kitts to sponsor a conference on the Ethical dimensions of the Information Society and Internet Privacy, designed to explore how almost instantaneous ICT access is impacting on youth behavior and the associated risks… more

Competition heats up in Trinidad and Tobago’s telecoms industry

Trinidad and Tobago – The transformation of Trinidad and Tobago’s telecoms and mobile market is entering a new phase, following news in August that the regulator has given the go-ahead for the sale of a 49% stake in key local player Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT)… more

Wednesday, 30 September 2015

National Commercial Data Services Ltd./E-Payment Services: ESP-Link

Anguilla – National Commercial Data Services Ltd., since 2007 NCDS has provided E-Payments services to National Bank of Anguilla Ltd and Caribbean Commercial Bank (Anguilla) ltd. Among the services provided have been ATM driving, Point of Sale services (card transaction acquisition) and debit card embossing… more

BTC signs Industrial Agreement with the BCPMU

Bahamas – A three-year Industrial Agreement was signed between the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) and the Bahamas Communications Public Managers Union (BCPMU) on September 28th at the BTC Headquarters on JFK Drive, Nassau… more

ON THE LEFT: Counterfeiting, data breaches key

Barbados – GROSS FRAUD LOSSES to criminals incurred by issuers, merchants and acquirers of US$16.31 billion increased 19 per cent over 2013.. more

Social media should be used responsibly

Barbados – As technology advances it gives its users greater control of their environment and increases their capabilities… more

B.T.L. Loses $2 Million in Revenue in 2015

Belize – Steadily declining profits, stagnant revenues, declining dividends…. more

B.T.L. Shareholders Receive 23 Cents per Share in Dividends

Belize – Shareholders received twenty-three cents per share in dividends, down one cent from last year… more

BVI against high prices for upcoming broadband

British Virgin Islands – Minister responsible for telecommunications Mark Vanterpool has declared that the size of a country or its population is irrelevant when it comes to providing access to cutting edge technology, adding that he does not expect consumers to pay ‘prohibitive prices’ for what he calls the real broadband which will soon be launched in the British Virgin Islands (BVI)… more

BVI Communications Minister Calls For Better Internet Services; Jamaican Minister Wants Roaming Abolished

Regional – The BVI is currently hosting the Caribbean Telecommunications Unions (CTU) a regional conference on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)… more

“Caribbean Telecommunications Union Holds ICT Week In BVI” By Gerard Best

Regional – Caribbean citizens’ growing appetite for digital conveniences is driving the region’s governments to act decisively to move essential services to online platforms… more

Digicel to block unnecessary ads

Regional – Digicel today announced that it is deploying ad control technology at the network level on its networks across the globe to ensure a better experience for customers and to encourage the likes of Google, Facebook and Yahoo to help connect the 4.2 billion unconnected people across the globe… more

The ad-block-alypse has arrived: a mobile carrier has for the first time begun blocking ALL ads on its customers’ phones

Regional – Shine, the Israeli mobile ad blocking company that works with mobile carriers to block ads at a network level, has announced Jamaica-based operator Digicel as its first official customer… more

Thursday, 1 October 2015

Tablets for St Peter pupils

Barbados – Class 3 pupils from two primary schools in St Peter have been presented with free tablets by the Aron & Christina Foundation to assist them in their educational pursuits… more

Another good year for BTL

Belize – Belize Telemedia limited held its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday September 29… more

Profits slip again but BTL moving forward says Board

Belize – Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) met with shareholders for the Ninth Annual General Meeting Tuesday night in Belize City… more

CWC squeezes out LIME and goes with the Flow

Cayman Islands – The regional telecommunications company Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) began is retail rebrand in Cayman Thursday, saying goodbye to LIME and introducing Flow… more

Government reverts to GTT internet for eGovernance

Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), five years ago offered the Bharrat Jagdeo Government its internet service to support the eGovernance project, at a nominal fee… more

UNDP embraces technology in new development agenda

Jamaica – THE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kingston, at its first social good summit Monday, unveiled a new sustainable development agenda, which it said will be guided by the theme “New Goals. New Power. New Technology”… more

Hon. Mark Vanterpool Remarks – CTU Conference/Information and Communication Technologies Week

Regional – The Virgin Islands is in a reset mode and certainly telecommunications plays one of the most crucial roles, in ensuring, that we can achieve a higher standard of living for our people… more

Is Network Level Ad Blocking Extortionate?

Regional – Summary: A wireless network in the Caribbean has announced that it will block ads in all web pages and mobile apps, but offers to unblock the ads if paid… more

Jamaica to host Digicel’s battle with Google and Facebook

Regional – Mobile operator Digicel is plotting an interesting route towards extra revenues in its mobile network as it looks to implement ad-blocking technology across its services in Jamaica… more

TSTT welcomes Roger Richards New Chief Technology and Information Officer

Trinidad and Tobago – As a technology enthusiast who loves a challenge, Roger Richards, TSTT’s new Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO) is well positioned to help lead the company’s efforts to maintain its leading role as primary provider of communications solutions and services for Trinidad and Tobago… more

Choice Communications To Acquire Innovative Group Of Companies For $145 Million

United States Virgin Islands – Atlantic Tele-Network (ATN), which operates in the territory as Choice Communications, today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire all of the membership interests of Caribbean Assets Holdings LLC, the holding company for the Innovative group of companies operating cable TV, Internet and landline services primarily in the U.S. Virgin Islands from the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC), a press release ATN issued today has revealed… more

Friday, 2 October 2015

BTC Appiles Mobile Phone Credits for Customers In The Family Islands

Bahamas – BTC’s Command Center remains open at its National Network Operations Center as it continues to monitor the effects of monitoring Hurricane Joaquin… more

PM not happy with BCWU accusations

Belize – Prime Minister Dean Barrow expressed his displeasure with comments from the Belize Communications Workers Union (BCWU) in regard to the Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) settlement, saying he felt the accusations levied against him were derogatory and he was insulted to be compared to former Prime Minister Said Musa… more

Government faces serious IT security threats

Cayman Islands – The auditor general has lifted the lid on a warning made to government some three years ago that it was facing serious risks to its security due to a catalogue problems… more

Goodbye LIME, hello Flow

Cayman Islands – The Cayman Islands is the latest to go with the flow, following Cable and Wireless’ acquisition of Columbus Communications earlier this year. With the change also comes jobs… more

LIME rebrands as Flow

Cayman Islands – Telecommunications company LIME has rebranded and launched as Flow in the Cayman Islands… more

Regulator warns FLOW regarding price increases

Grenada – The National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) says the decision by the telecommunication company, FLOW, to increase its broadband services to customers from next month is not in keeping with the existing legislation… more

$2.5M radio licence fee to be reviewed – GNBA Chairman

Guyana – Whether the Board will agree is another matter, but for Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) the 2011 distribution of radio licenses and the annual licensing fee that poses as a burden to most broadcasters are two things that need urgent review… more

Govt. still to be paid in full for GT&T shares

Guyana – The Guyana Government is still to be paid in full for the 20 per cent shares it once owned in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T and which was managed by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL)… more

Flow To Expand Mobay Facility Into Full Service Flagship Store Serving Western Jamaica

Jamaica – Telecommunications firm Flow has announced that it will expand its Fairview Montego Bay facility into a full-service flagship store serving western Jamaica… more

Kerr-Jarrett to be next chairman of FLOW Jamaica

Jamaica – Land developer Mark Kerr-Jarrett will be appointed as the next chairman of Cable & Wireless Jamaica/FLOW Jamaica, according to a notice posted on the stock exchange… more

Learn How to Code and Build Websites at Free Class in Jamaica

Jamaica – You now have a chance to crack the code to computer careers… more

Open Data Key to Driving Digital Innovation in the Caribbean

Regional – Across the Caribbean, governments are moving their essential services to digital platforms and generating more data than ever. Yet, much valuable public information remains locked away in proprietary systems, beyond the reach of Caribbean innovators and end users. A growing number of open data initiatives aim to change this, but it won’t be easy… more

Innovative buyer plans to take it to ‘next level’

United States Virgin Islands – Atlantic Tele-Network chief executive officer Michael Prior said Thursday that the company plans to build on improvements made in recent years to the telecommunications infrastructure in the territory, once a proposed sale of the Innovative group of companies to Atlantic Tele-Network is finalized… more

Saturday, 3 October 2015

Antigua at the UN Looking for Online Gambling Justice

Antigua and Barbuda – The online gambling industry was first introduced in a small and beautiful island in the Caribbean called Antigua and Barbuda when it passed its Free Trade & Processing act… more

BTC updates on Hurricane Joaquin and applies mobile phone credits

Bahamas – BTC’s Command Center remains open at its National Network Operations Center as it continues to monitor the effects of monitoring Hurricane Joaquin… more

New CEO at Digicel Barbados

Barbados – Telecoms provider Digicel has welcomed the former CEO of Digicel St Kitts & Nevis,  Johnny Ingle, as the new man to lead its Barbados operations… more

BTL Profits Down – Shareholders concerned about $97m liability to Ashcroft

Belize – For a second year, the government-owned and managed Belize Telemedia Limited has reported lower profits to its shareholders at the Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday night in Belize City… more

“Daddy” & “Son” in Trouble at BTL

Belize – Like a pig wearing bright red lipstick, Prime Minister Dean Barrow has tried to paint a pretty picture of his secret travels, private meetings and dreadful deals with the man he once called the devil… more

Bank refused cable TV invoice as proof of address

Guyana – Dear Editor, I had an experience at Republic Bank Guyana recently that left me puzzled, confused and wondering who creates the policies at that bank… more

Caribbean Mentorship Institute concerned over social media and youth safety

Regional – The Caribbean Mentorship Institute said it is concerned about the recent uploading and sharing of videos of adolescents in their school uniforms, engaging in pornographic and illegal gang activities… more

Internet exchange points critical to the Caribbean digital economy, says BVI minister

Regional – Caribbean nations need to strengthen their Internet infrastructure if the region is to take full advantage of the global digital economy… more

Sunday, 4 October 2015

Cyber bullying the ‘cause of girl fights’

Barbados – CYBER BULLYING SEEMS to be a major spark that ignites fights between teen girls… more

ICT genie is out of the bottle – Education Minister

Guyana – At the open day ceremony held at Cyril Potter College of Education on Friday, Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine reminded those in attendance of the government’s plans of distributing one laptop per teacher across the country… more

Combat Mobile Phone Tyranny!

Jamaica – Does your mobile phone have dominion over you? Years ago, my friend, David, conscientiously answered all incoming calls rather than having them go to voicemail. He felt that having to return calls often led to time-consuming phone-tag… more

Caribbean’s first Digital Publishing Conference Nov 2-5

Regional – An impressive line-up of international speakers is slated for the Caribbean’s first Digital Publishing Conference, #theOnlineMind, scheduled to be held November 2-5, 2015 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston… more

 

Image credits:  carterse (flickr);  Wikimedia Commons;  Brands of the World;  Wikipedia;  Belize Web;  Wikipedia;  Wikipedia

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