A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 16 January to Sunday 22 January 2017.
Monday, 16 January 2017
Antigua Waits On US Response To Online Gambling Judgement
Antigua and Barbuda – Online gambling has had some setbacks over the years and one of the most disturbing is the introduction of the 2006 law that banned offshore internet betting in the USA… more
New Antigua Leisure & Gaming Association formed
Antigua and Barbuda – Antigua-licensed online gambling operators have formed a new industry association with the goal of establishing a more productive relationship with local gaming regulators… more
BUSINESS MONDAY: CHANGING HOW BUSINESS IS DONE IN THE C’BEAN
Barbados – “Karibs will become the google of our region.” This was the bold assessment made by Corrie Brewster, Founder & Executive Chairman of Karibs Network Inc… more
Digicel launches ‘lighting fast’ LTE network
British Virgin Islands – Digicel BVI has kicked off the New Year with the launch of BVI’s fastest Long-term Evolution (LTE) network… more
Marketing Strategies Today: How colour affects website conversion
Regional – When it comes to a website colour can have a direct effect on your conversions because of the way that you are able to see a situation or an attitude… more
Arrested for using cell phone in flight
Trinidad and Tobago – A Caribbean Airlines passenger who refused to follow the instructions of the flight crew and get off his cell phone, was arrested, booted off the airplane, charged, taken to court, will have to pay a $2,000 fine… more
Uber activated: $20 base fare
Trinidad and Tobago – Just in time for the Carnival season, Trinidad and Tobago has become the first English-speaking Caribbean country to launch the global ride-share mobile app sensation, Uber… more
Uber releases fares for T&T as service begins today
Trinidad and Tobago – As Uber begin operating in this country from today, it will cost passengers a minimum of TT$32.50 to be transported to any destination… more
Tuesday, 17 January 2017
GTT rate increase hearing adjourned indefinitely
Guyana – The hearing by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company’s (GTT) proposal to raise the rates for landline services was delayed again yesterday and adjourned indefinitely… more
CONATEL convene some FM stations
Haiti – The Directorate General of the Executive Body of the National Telecommunications Council (CONATEL) invites all holders of operating authorization of FM radio stations in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area operating on the following frequencies… more
SOCIAL MEDIA NOT TO BE TRUSTED
Regional – From the very beginning, two things about the internet bothered me: information and “friends.”… more
CWU not pleased with TATT extension to CWC
Trinidad and Tobago – The Communication Workers Union (CWU) is “very disappointed and disturbed”by the decision of the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) to grant Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) a further extension; up to March 31, 2017, to complete its divestment of its 49 percent stake in Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (TSTT)… more
Minister probes legality as Uber launches
Trinidad and Tobago – Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan and his legal team are reportedly looking into the legality of Uber, the worldwide online transportation network which officially launched in T&T at 11 am yesterday… more
Stakeholders to connect with global technology experts at bmobile conference
Trinidad and Tobago – Local telecommunications provider bmobile will introduce another first to Trinidad and Tobago when it hosts its Connect @ bmobile Technology Conference and Exposition at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad… more
Uber is ‘progressive and legitimate’, AG
Trinidad and Tobago – THOUGH Attorney General Faris Al Rawi hailed the introduction of internationally renowned ride-sharing mobile application, Uber, into Trinidad and Tobago as “progressive and legitimate”, the current motor vehicular laws of the land would need to be ammended to faciliate its continued existence in the country… more
Wednesday, 18 January 2017
Digicel BVI launches home LTE service from USD 79/mth
British Virgin Islands – British Virgin Islands (BVI) operator Digicel has finally activated its 4G LTE service around six months after the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) awarded the company spectrum in the 700MHz band for LTE use… more
Digicel launches LTE in British Virgin Islands
British Virgin Islands – Mobile operator Digicel has launched its LTE network in the British Virgin Islands, with initial coverage for parts of Tortola… more
Complaints on phones transferred in roaming mode
Haiti – The Directorate General of the Executive Body of the National Telecommunications Council (CONATEL) receives many complaints from the population of the border area, particularly from Ouanaminthe and Belladère, concerning their telephone, which are automatically transferred to roaming mode without any necessity and without having asked for the service… more
ASYCUDA World — Reforming Jamaica Customs
Jamaica – The Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) has re-engineered its business and operating processes towards achieving greater efficiency, with the full implementation of the Automated System for Customs Data, ASYCUDA World, at its various locations at the start of the 2016/17 fiscal year… more
Medium taxpayers required to file GCT returns online
Jamaica – Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) is reminding medium taxpayers that they are now required to file GCT returns online… more
BUSINESS BYTE: Digicel Play launches new channels to usher in New Year
Saint Lucia – Digicel Play is pleased to announce the launch of two new exciting entertainment channels, Catch 1 and Catch 2 – jam-packed with even more great content for customers to enjoy this New Year… more
NCA responds to Digicel hike
Saint Lucia – The National Consumers Association (NCA) has responded to the recent hike in post paid rates announced by telecommunications company, Digicel… more
LINX issues fraud warning
Trinidad and Tobago – DEBIT card payment system LINX is warning about a fraudulent message being circulated on social media… more
Chubby now available on Amazon
Trinidad and Tobago – Chubby, the first brand of soft drink available in a kid-friendly size, with fun flavours and an internationally recognised mascot that children love, is now available on Amazon.com… more
Uber meeting with local authorities
Trinidad and Tobago – Local representatives of Uber say they have been meeting with the relevant authorities in the private and public sector and will continue to do so to ensure they meet the legal requirements of operating in T&T… more
Thursday, 19 January 2017
THE ISSUE: Crowdfunding for entrepreneurs
Barbados – Is there a need for alternative funding options? … more
Speednet Belize allies with Tango Telecom for CDMA to GSM upgrade
Belize – Tango Telecom, a leading provider of Data Monetisation Solutions for evolving mobile networks, today announced an upgrade deal with Speednet, Belize for its Subscriber Interaction Manager… more
Electronic water billing coming soon
British Virgin Islands – Consumers will soon have the opportunity to pay their water bills online through electronic billing (eBills)… more
Curaçao signs agreement with Airbnb
Curaçao – The government of Curaçao has signed an agreement with homestay provider Airbnb, becoming the third destination in the Caribbean to do so… more
Bitcoin reaches Dominican consumers: livebitcoinnews.com
Dominican Republic – Unlike most Bitcoin teller machines in operation right now, BitRD wants to improve cash withdrawals… more
FLOW Announces New Retail Sales Manager and Commercial Manager
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Mr. Kevin Edwards, the former Marketing Manager, replaces Anthony Morton as the new Retail Sales Manager as of January 1, 2017. He is responsible for leading the Retail Sales Division with oversight of Mobile, Broadband and Internet sales as well as Indirect Channels sales… more
Bankers warn of LINX fraud
Trinidad and Tobago – BEWARE of a fake LINK card request, circulating on social media, asking you to update your LINX debit card information via an online link within a certain time frame… more
Friday, 20 January 2017
Implications of Digital Marketing
Barbados – A little less than a decade ago, we saw the emergence of a new field called Digital Marketing… more
Digicel introduces new digital music streaming app
Jamaica – Digicel customers will now be able to stream and download from a catalogue of over 25 million songs with d’Music a new digital music streaming mobile application… more
Hinduja Hiring 500 For Kingston Centre
Jamaica – Hinduja Global Solutions Limited (HGS) is hiring 500 more staff, which will double its workforce for a call centre in Kingston… more
Gov’t to decide on future of Radio Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia – A decision on the future of the state owned Saint Lucia Broadcasting Corporation (Radio St. Lucia) will be made soon by government, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dominic Feedee has revealed… more
UPG launches activities website for St. Maarten
Sint Maarten – A website that focuses on year-round tourism-related activities in St. Maarten is the latest initiative of Unleashed Potential Group (UPG), a group of enthusiastic Windward Islands students and young professionals in the Netherlands… more
CWU protests for TSTT retirees’ $$
Trinidad and Tobago – Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) protested outside the Independence Square, Port-of-Spain offices of RBC Trust (Trinidad and Tobago) Limited (RBC Trust) yesterday to highlight their frustration over a months-long delay in pension adjustments and retroactive payments to TSTT retirees for the 2008 to 2010 and 2011 to 2013 Collective Agreement Periods… more
Uber in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago – Uber has arrived in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T). The service was launched there on the January 15… more
Saturday, 21 January 2017
Cuba sees explosion in internet access ties with US grow
Cuba – Two days before Christmas, Luis Gonzalez received a little Chinese modem from Cuba’s state-owned telecommunications company… more
St Mary Tech excited after computer donation
Jamaica – St Mary Technical High School suffered a devastating blow in June 2016, when its library was razed by a fire… more
EDITORIAL – TOWARDS A DIGITAL DEMOCRACY
Regional – Time was when a local political meeting was an occasion for a night of socialising with others of identical partisan persuasion – only infrequently did the stalwarts of either of the two main political parties attend the public meetings of the other… more
ATTIC urges caution on Uber
Trinidad and Tobago – The Association of T&T Insurance Companies (ATTIC) is calling for the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act to be updated to accommodate Uber and other technologically driven initiatives… more
Sunday, 22 January 2017
Conduent to shutter Amazon unit, redeploy workers
Jamaica – The Business Processing outsourcing (BPO) arm of Xerox International, a division which has been rebranded Conduent, is set to send home or redeploy approximately 1,000 workers over the coming months as it shutters a unit which provided back office and customer service support for online retail giant Amazon… more
Daniel Thwaites | Telecoms And Privacy
Jamaica – Why should Jamaicans be concerned about who is granted a telecommunications licence? … more
Hinduja Global Solutions seeks 500 workers for new location
Jamaica – Hinduja Global Solutions Limited (HGS), business process firm, on January 18 officially opened its fourth customer experience centre on Constant Spring Road in Kingston… more
Digicel disagrees with report its debt is unsustainable
Regional – Regional telecommunications provider Digicel says it “fundamentally disagrees with the conclusions of the report” done by CreditSights debt analyst Michael Chakardjian that the group’s debt of US$6.2 billion in debt is at “unsustainably high levels” as it is 6.2 times earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) at the company… more
Image credits: Pexels.com; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
_________________
