A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 26 September to Sunday 2 October 2016.
Monday, 26 September 2016
Cell fare
Barbados – CELLULAR PHONES COULD be used to pay bus fares on public service vehicles (PSVs) in short order, if a company which has expressed an interest in providing the service is taken on board… more
Digicel ready for impending weather system
Barbados – WITH THE POTENTIAL THREAT of a Tropical Depression bearing down on Barbados over the next couple of days, Digicel would like to inform its customers, its staff and Barbados as a whole that its storm contingency plan is in high gear and the business has everything in place to best manage the events of the coming days…. more
John Briceño Calls B.T.L. Deal “Worst Ever” by a Government
Belize – The People’s United Party has been hammering Government on the B.T.L. deal, stating that Belizeans must find five hundred and fifty seven million dollars for a company worth about one hundred million dollars… more
ICTA supports Solomon’s Free Wi-Fi Initiative
Cayman Islands – Support equipment to facilitate free (password-protected) WiFi service to residents in the immediate vicinity of Windsor Park, has recently been installed. The installation is the first test model in a hoped-for island-wide community communications initiative, initiated by former George Town Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), Ellio Solomon… more
Digicel launches HD voice calls
Jamaica – For the first time in Jamaica, over two million customers on the Digicel network now have access to high- definition Voice (HD Voice) calling for a crisper, clearer, more natural sounding voice-call experience with background noise-cancelling capabilities… more
Marketing Strategies Today: How to ensure your LinkedIn strategy is working with small business
Regional – Are you trying to make sure that you are able to reach specific LinkedIn users? … more
CWU: Don’t place burden on working class
Trinidad and Tobago – Budget week’s upon T&T and the last minute calls and concerns are beginning… more
Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Exuma ‘Crushed’ By BTC Problems
Bahamas – Communications woes are threatening to “crush” Exuma’s economy, with the island’s business community urging the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) to fix a situation becoming “increasingly worse”… more
IT Miss Exposes NHI To ‘US-Fraud Levels’
Bahamas – A well-known physician yesterday warned that the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme could be exposed to “US-style fraud levels”, after the Government admitted the necessary IT system will not be ready for its January 2017 launch… more
Accelerate development with a digital economy, says CONATEL Dir.
Haiti – The head of the National Telecommunications Council is banking that Haiti can accelerate its emergence as a developing nation by creating what he calls a “digital economy”… more
Modern, Open and Innovative: the Challenges of new Technologies in Haiti
Haiti – In the streets of Port-au-Prince, in the shops, everywhere, it’s easy to spot the many phone credit sellers, with their red or blue vest according to the company… more
Flow Study Gets More Caribbean Students Closer to Examination Success
Jamaica – Just a month into the new school term, Flow has officially unveiled its e-leaning platform, Flow Study, an online portal to help students better prepare for the CAPE and CSEC examinations… more
IBEX relocates to Portmore; now hiring
Jamaica – IBEX Global Solutions (IBEX), a leading business process outsourcing (BPO) solutions provider, has moved its Jamaica location to Portmore and is now hiring… more
Police Commissioner Encourages Businesses To Get CCTV
Jamaica – Police Commissioner, Dr Carl Williams says every business in Jamaica should be outfitted with closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras… more
St Maarten To Host International Tech Conference
Regional – The Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry (LACNIC) and the Internet Society (ISOC) will host an international tech conference called St Maarten On The Move in Philipsburg, from October 27 to 28… more
Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Consultant to Antigua: Keep pressing resolution of US gaming dispute
Antigua and Barbuda – Thirteen years into Antigua and Barbuda’s online gaming dispute with the United States, a United Kingdom-based gaming consultant is advising St. John’s not to concede defeat just yet… more
PM says A&B cannot get US to settle gaming dispute
Antigua and Barbuda – Prime Minister Gaston Browne has stopped shy of conceding defeat in the 12- year-old Internet gaming dispute with the United States, chiding Washington for its disrespect of St John’s… more
Bahamas Telecommunications Company OPENS bilingual Haitian CREOLE / English STORE
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company Limited (BTC) officially opened the doors to its first Creole store this evening… more
C&W Networks Expands Capabilities via Point-of-Presence in Jacksonville, Florida
Regional – C&W Networks, a division of Cable & Wireless Communications, (C&W), one of the largest full service communications and entertainment providers in the Caribbean and Latin American region, now part of Liberty Global (LiLAC Group), today announced that it has expanded its reach with the integration of the recently activated, state-of-the-art Point-of-Presence (POP) node at the Jacksonville, Florida Network Access Point (NAP) known as Jax NAP… more
ECTEL study reveals impact of broadband on economic growth
Regional – A study on “The Impact of Broadband on Economic Growth in ECTEL Member States” indicates that an increase in the broadband penetration rate of 1%, would lead to an increase in real economic growth of 0.076%… more
Liberty Global partners with Netflix Caribbean roll-out in 2017
Regional – International cable TV and broadband company, Liberty Global, has entered into a multi-year partnership with Netflix Inc which will allow video customers of Liberty Global across more than 30 countries around the world to view its content… more
Thursday, 29 September 2016
BTL acquisition threatens the national economy
Belize – The arbitration settlement between the Government of Belize (GOB) and the Ashcroft Alliance over Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) is causing drastic issues on the country’s financial sector… more
Government of Belize and Ashcroft Alliance in court again over BTL payments
Belize – The Barrow Government and the Ashcroft Alliance are back to arguing before the Caribbean Court of Justice over BTL… more
Cayman Enterprise City and Meticulosity awarded for Internet Marketing Excellence
Cayman Islands – Cayman Enterprise City and zone company Meticulosity SEZC each brought home coveted IMPACT Awards for excellence in Internet marketing from IMPACT16, an Internet Marketing Association Conference in Las Vegas last week… more
Limited internet access inhibiting press freedom in Cuba – US-based NGO
Cuba – Costly, limited access to the internet in Cuba is impeding the country’s progress toward press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said in a report published Wednesday… more
$30,000 or jail for using cell phone while driving
Jamaica – Less than one year after a bill was tabled in Parliament proposing that persons who use cellular phones while driving be slapped with a $10,000 fine, Transport Minister Mike Henry is urging legislators to consider a $30,000 fine for the same offence… more
National Integrity Action Against Symbiote Mobile Licence
Jamaica – Anti-corruption lobby group, National Integrity Action (NIA), says the government is making a wrong decision to go ahead and issue a licence to Symbiote Investments Limited to operate a mobile network here… more
blink | bmobile wins big at the local advertising awards
Trinidad and Tobago – blink | bmobile’s advertisements took the lion’s share of awards at the 2016 Advertising Agencies Association of Trinidad and Tobago’s (AAATT’s) Creative Excellence Awards held on September 22, placing first in the majority of categories judged in the telecommunications sector… more
IGT to donate more equipment to Immortelle centre
Trinidad and Tobago – “The centre has come a long way from its one computer, reaching one student at a time—to several computers, tablets and smart televisions reaching several students or a whole class throughout the day,” said Charlene Gittens, acting principal of the Immortelle Children’s Centre for Special Education… more
Friday, 30 September 2016
Minister : Gov’t resolute in gaming dispute
Antigua and Barbuda – The government remains resolute in its stance to get the United States to pay more than $200 million, in compensation for a World Trading Organization (WTO) decision in ab gaming dispute ongoing for over a decade… more
Chamber: Data Breach Reports ‘Quite A Number’
Bahamas – The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) has received “quite a number” of data breach reports from local companies, its chief executive said yesterday, with most not wanting to make such information public… more
Anwar Barrow Says Musa’s Allegation of Cooked Books Is ‘Total Nonsense’
Belize – “The figures are misleading”- this is what PUP Area Representative Kareem Musa said last night when he was speaking of this year’s Belize Telemedia Limited Annual General Meeting… more
BTL Boasts Strong Growth In Revenue and Profits At AGM
Belize – BTL has been in the news a lot recently, but mostly because of the ballooning cost of the settlement with the Ashcroft Alliance… more
BTL Reports Profit of $22.1M at AGM 2015/2016
Belize – A profit of twenty two point one millions dollars was reported during Belize Telemedia Limited Annual General Meeting last night. According to the report, this is a four million dollar increase when compared to last year… more
Net Vasquez Says BTL Is Worth $400M Plus
Belize – Opposition Leader John Briceno, characterized the BTL Nationalization settlement as a sad secret arrangement that would ultimately cost the Belizean public millions of dollars. Briceno said the latest ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice will cripple Belize’s economy and put Belize’s foreign reserve in a choke hold… more
Digicel’s acquisition of TRES Networks approved
Curacao – Digicel Group has received the required approvals from the Government and regulatory authorities for the purchase of TRES Networks in Curacao, and is now moving swiftly to complete the transaction… more
100 institutions connected to eGovernment network countrywide
Guyana – The eGovernment Agency has completed the first phase of the Improving Digital Equity, Access and Learning (IDEAL) Programme, which has provided for 100 institutions to be connected to a network along the coast… more
ATL launches Wi-Fi ACs for smart homes
Jamaica – Appliance Traders Limited (ATL), owned by Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, has included Wi-Fi air conditioners in its inventory of appliances… more
CAL launches mobile app
Regional – Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has launched a mobile website application which allows customers to book flights, add or update frequent flyer information, add or update contact details, or add seats and meal preferences and a list of other features,using an Android or iOS smartphone device… more
Authority grants Cable and Wireless Dec 31 extension
Trinidad and Tobago – THE Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) has granted Cable and Wireless (CWC) an extension to December 31 to divest its shares in State-controlled telecoms provider TSTT… more
Saturday, 1 October 2016
I-pads may soon be allowed in schools
Guyana – Secondary school students may soon be using I-Pads and similar electronic devices in the classroom to access learning materials… more
Digicel adds Nick Jr to Caribbean line-up
Regional – Targeting pre-schoolers, Nick Jr’s most popular shows include Dora the Explorer, Peppa Pig, Blaze and the Monster Machines, and Shimmer and Shine… more
Sunday, 2 October 2016
FLOW gears for Matthew
Jamaica – With Hurricane Matthew reported to be a powerful and dangerous Category Four storm, FLOW’s disaster preparations are now in high gear… more
Image credits: GotCredit (flickr); Eleuthera News; ECTEL; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
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