A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 18 January to Sunday 27 January 2016.
Monday, 18 January 2016
APUA gets on board with Bill
Antigua and Barbuda – Telecoms Minister Melford Nicholas said the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) is now fully on board with the proposed Telecommunication Bill that will govern the local industry… more
PM Barrow Talks B.T.L. Settlement
Belize – It is expected that in the first part of this year, an arbitration tribunal will determine the value of shares arising from the nationalization of Belize Telemedia Limited… more
GTT relaunches mobile fairs
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) on Saturday relaunched its ‘Mobile Fairs’ as part of its plans to take its products and services to customers across the country… more
Technological Solutions Limited: A Stellar Performer In Science And Technology
Jamaica – Managing Director of Technological Solutions Limited (TSL), Dr Andre Gordon, may have turned out to be a great Jamaican scientist, but it was not all smooth sailing for the man who leads his team to stellar performances in the field of science and technology… more
Flow & Huawei Successfully Tested 1st Trial of the Fastest Copper Based Broadband Service iith G.Fast Across Latin America
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communications Plc’s (CWC) business unit in Panama, Cable & Wireless Panama SA (CWP) and Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, revealed the first successful trial of the fastest copper based broadband service across Latin America using leading G.fast technology… more
FLOW St. Kitts & Nevis Annual General Meeting, Notice to Shareholders
Saint Kitts and Nevis – FLOW wishes to advise our valued Shareholders that the 2015 Cable & Wireless St. Kitts & Nevis (Ltd) Annual General meeting will be held on January 28th, 2016 at the Conference Room, Ocean Terrace Inn Hotel at 5:00 pm… more
DirecTV adds first local channel
Trinidad and Tobago – DirecTV Trinidad has added local Channel CNC3 as part of its channel lineup on Channel 131… more
Tuesday, 19 January 2016
Union Protest Over Cable Rise
Bahamas – PRESIDENTS of respective unions that fall under the National Congress of Trade Unions of The Bahamas are expected to protest tomorrow in Parliament square over Cable Bahamas’ alleged failure to fully honour its heads of agreement following URCA’s approval for the company to increase its rates… more
Gov’t receives 200 tablets from agent of Economic Citizenship Program
Dominica – The Government of Dominica has received 200 tablets from one of its agents of the Economic Citizenship Progam, Apex Services… more
Is GTT doing a disservice to these children?
Guyana – Dear Editor, It is pellucid that GT&T seems to be reluctant in expanding the landline telephone service in this country… more
Flow-LIME Giving Me A Headache!
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: I am having a somewhat similar problem to Carolyn Cooper’s (‘FLOW + LIME = minus zero, Sunday Gleaner, January 17, 2016) with LIME-FLOW. It appears that we have a national problem on our hands. Here’s my experience with LIME-FLOW recently… more
Jamaica’s Flow preparing imminent LTE launch
Jamaica – Jamaican mobile operator Flow, the local subsidiary of Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), has begun upgrading its mobile network infrastructure for the deployment of 4G LTE technology, reports local daily Jamaica Observer, citing the unit’s managing director Garfield Sinclair… more
Celltick partners with Cable & Wireless to bring startscreen to android devices
Regional – Cable & Wireless consumers to get a customized branded version of Start, enhancing the mobile experience of its users… more
ECTEL To Get Update on C&W–FLOW Merger
Regional – The Board of Directors of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) will meet in the Commonwealth of Dominica on Friday… more
Digicel Launches New Cell Sites in St. Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Residents of St. Kitts and Nevis who own and operate Digicel mobile phones, are waking up to increased 4G signal strength on their devices… more
NOTICE: LIME fixed line voicemail migration
Saint Lucia – On January 18th 2016, LIME will be migrating your fixed line voicemail service to a new platform. Our new voicemail system provides greater stability, improved reliability and stronger security… more
Wednesday, 20 January 2016
Information minister ‘may not understand’ digitisation security
Antigua and Barbuda – The minister responsible for Information Technology has responded to security concerns for the government’s effort to digitise public records, but is doubted by the same IT specialist who raised the concerns… more
BTC’s Carlyle Roberts to share ‘Smart City’ vision at Bahamas Business Outlook
Bahamas – Attendees of the Bahamas Business Outlook (BBO) on January 21st at the Melia Nassau Resort will be given a glimpse into the future with speaker and BTC executive Carlyle Roberts presenting on the opportunities of ‘Smart Cities.’ … more
Cable’s First Rights Issue Seeks $30.6m
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas yesterday said its first-ever rights offering will raise an extra $30.6 million in capital to finance “the growth opportunities” that will further boost shareholder value… more
New Entrant Is ‘Dead In Water’ On BTC Stalling
Bahamas – A former Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) manager yesterday accused the incumbent carrier of an “unspoken corporate strategy” to prevent niche providers entering the market, after his fledgling business was left “dead in the water”… more
Development Partner Gives 200 Tablets for Education
Dominica – The Government of Dominica has received 200 tablet computers which it says will go to the children of Dominica… more
Gov’t to establish universal access to internet
Dominica – The Dominica government is working on establishing universal access to the internet at all secondary schools and in the public domain, the Prime Minister has revealed… more
Hinduja Global Solutions adds to health portfolio, expands in Kingston
Jamaica – Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS) has added to its healthcare portfolio and is set to expand in Kingston. The company commissioned a new facility in the island’s capital in January… more
Dominica to Host 73rd Board Meeting of ECTEL
Regional – Dominica is gearing up to host the 73rd Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority, ECTEL on Friday January 22nd 2016. ECTEL is the regulatory body within the OECS which supervises and regulates the telecommunications sector… more
Euronews expands reach with Digicel play
Regional – Euronews is today announcing it will be extending its reach in the Caribbean thanks to a deal with Digicel Play in Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago… more
Thursday, 21 January 2016
Mass Demonstration Threat Over Cable Price Increase
Bahamas – NATIONAL Congress of Trade Unions of the Bahamas President John Pinder yesterday threatened to launch a mass demonstration “in short order” if the government doesn’t reverse the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority’s decision to approve Cable Bahamas’s application to increase its rates… more
Union threatens industrial action if GTT refuses to withdraw “early retirement” letters
Guyana – The Guyana Postal and Telecommunications Workers Union (GPTWU) is threatening to rally its workers for industrial action if the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) refuses to withdraw a “early retirement” letter that it dispatched to some 150 employees… more
Coming Soon – The Jamaican Experience Using A Mobile App
Jamaica – Buoyed by a special Gleaner award for expanding the services offered in the waiting area of the country’s two international airports, VIP Attractions will… more
Marketing Strategies Today: How to adapt to Twitter’s newest updates
Regional – When it comes to the fastest and easiest way to reach anyone these days, it is Twitter… more
Animation experts to visit Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia – Twenty young St. Lucians involved in Film and Animation will this week receive a valuable insight from two internationally recognized experts in the multi-billion dollar industry… more
St. Lucian producer admitted into global internet radio service Pandora
Saint Lucia – 25 Year old Dudley Frederick, more commonly known as “MrSoFamous” or Simply “Famous” has made it into the internet radio service Pandora… more
SCDF launches mobile app for iOs and Android devices
Sint Maarten – St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) launched its mobile Carnival application or “app” for Android and iOs devices and smart phones on Wednesday… more
TV6 added to DirecTV
Trinidad and Tobago – CCN TV6 has been added to the channel line-up on DirecTV… more
Friday, 22 January 2016
Cable Bahamas denied summary judgment in fuel leak suit
Bahamas – The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed Cable Bahamas Limited’s application for a summary judgment to determine liability regarding a fuel spill at a Rubis Bahamas Limited gas station on Robinson Road, and recommended that the matter proceed to trial on an “urgent basis”… more
Dominica calls for lower roaming rates
Dominica – Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) begin a meeting here Friday amid calls for a decrease in roaming rates in the sub-region… more
Dominican Republic pay-TV booming
Dominica Republic – Pay-TV in the Dominican Republic continues to go from strength to strength. Fresh data from the country’s regulator (Institute of Telecommunications of the Dominican Republic, Indotel) says that Q3/2015 saw another significant uplift to the nation’s pay-TV subscribers, and took the growth overall for the first 9 months of the year to 19 per cent and topping 648,000 subs… more
GTT confirms offering “voluntary retirement” package
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) appeared set to go ahead with offering a voluntary retirement package of a 100 percent payout of pension contributions to employees who are 55 years old and have served the company for at least 10 years… more
Union opposes GTT early retirement plan, threatens industrial action
Guyana – “We are prepared to leave no stones unturned,” said President of the Guyana Postal and Telecommunication Workers’ Union (GPTWU), Mr. Harold Shepherd, when he convened a press conference yesterday to highlight what he described as a unilateral decision by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) to offer an early retirement plan to its employees… more
Trace Goes Live on Digicel Play in the Caribbean
Regional – TRACE extends its presence in the Caribbean, unveiling a new distribution agreement with Digicel in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago… more
Beacon Technology launched in St. Kitts
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Some members of the business community recently were introduced to a cutting edge technology that is expected to change the way the corporate community do marketing… more
Saturday, 23 January 2016
Digicel Play Nightmare
Jamaica – On December 19, 2015, I read with bemusement a letter, written by one Gary Shaw, CEO, of Digicel Play, in response to what was a letter purportedly written by a disgruntled Digicel Play customer… more
New OUR Board
Jamaica – THE NEWLY appointed board of the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) to be chaired by Joseph M. Matalon will be meeting next week to chart the way forward for the regulatory body… more
Study points to region’s lack of E-waste disposal policies
Regional – A study carried out in 15 English-Dutch-and Spanish-speaking Caribbean countries has found that there is no policy regarding the E-waste from all kinds of electronics… more
How Long Before Perpetrators Of Revenge Porn And Cyber-Bullying Pay The Price?
Saint Lucia – Earlier this month Saint Lucia experienced another chilling episode concerning use of the Internet to malign or blackmail a woman… more
Sunday, 24 January 2016
Digicel Hailed As Fastest 4G Network In Barbados
Barbados – Digicel customers benefit from the fastest 4G network in Barbados – that’s the big news coming from an independent report by experts Brightcomms this week… more
Flow Tech Kids Valentine’s Day Event
Barbados – Hey FLOW Fam, there’s great news again. Registration is now open for FLOW’s Flow Tech Kids Valentine’s Day Event… more
GTT looking forward to a year of progress
Guyana – Liberalisation of the telecommunication sector and realizing 4G mobile data service is among the vision for the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) for this year… more
Guyana has been slow to embrace E-Procurement–Finance Minister
Guyana – Guyana’s weak public procurement system led to the loss of millions of dollars annually… more
Online Offenders! Twitter, Facebook And Other Social Media Being Used To Defame Persons As Political Heat Rises
Jamaica – As the political campaign approaches fever pitch, a warning has been issued to persons who use social media to defame others… more
Image credits: journalismthatmatters (flickr); ECTEL; Wikipedia; Brands of the World
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