A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 26 February to Sunday 4 March 2018.
Monday, 26 February 2018
BTC Loses 60,000 Mobile Subscribers
Bahamas – THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has lost over 60,000 mobile customers, almost 20 per cent of its market, in just over one year as a result of competition… more
‘Smart City’ Must Support Tech Hub
Bahamas – GRAND Bahama cannot become a technology hub without a ‘smart city’ to support it, a Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) executive has argued, while stressing the need to develop local expertise… more
PHOTOS: Digicel bids farewell to Colm Delves
Barbados – Digicel treated outgoing Chief Executive Officer Colm Delves to a rollicking farewell party on Sunday at its corporate offices in downtown Kingston… more
‘Internet access at Fairview will revolutionise learning’ – Fairview Toshao, Headteacher
Guyana – Toshao of Fairview, Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight), Lucy Marslow, has welcomed the efforts of the Ministry of Public Telecommunications in providing internet access to that community, given the present constraints in the education sector there… more
Caricel says OCG’s interest in sale ‘not legitimate’
Jamaica – Telecommunications firm Caricel Jamaica says it accepts Contractor General Dirk Harrison’s right to enquire into its decision to sell major control of its assets to South African firm Involution Limited… more
USF Targets 1,000 Persons For TAP
Jamaica – Approximately 1,000 persons are slated to benefit from the latest efforts by the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology to increase Internet use in Jamaica… more
With mMoney, You Can Forget About Forgetting Where Your Cash Went
Regional – I’d bet that if I asked you to remember where your last hundred dollars in cash actually went, you’d be hard pressed to answer correctly. Paid a bill here, bought a sandwich there, and wait! Suddenly, it’s all gone… more
TelEm Group, Telcos Testing Disaster App
Sint Maarten – TelEm Group is joining other telecommunications companies in the Caribbean in the testing phase of a mobile disaster management app called Sonar that could soon hit the global market, TelEm said in a press release Thursday… more
Tuesday, 27 February 2018
$9m for CBC
Barbados – Minister of Commerce, Industry and Business Development Donville Inniss today called for an end to the monopoly enjoyed by the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and an examination of its role as a state-owned entity… more
Security Plan | Drones to be implemented to fight crime
British Virgin Islands – A new security plan is being implemented in the British Virgin Islands and part of that plan includes police drone surveillance… more
GoDominica.com, a new tool for tourism in Dominica
Dominica – GoDominica.com, a new business initiative for the tourism industry in Dominica, was introduced to the public last week at the Business Recovery Exposition in Roseau… more
MAJ Expected To Present More Concerns About Data Protection Bill
Jamaica – The Media Association Jamaica Limited (MAJ) is decrying the foreseen negative effects under the Data Protection Act related to the gathering and production of journalistic content. The MAJ is expected to appear before the joint select committee in Parliament today…. more
Wheatley Says He Did Not Approve Sale Of Caricel Shares
Jamaica – Technology Minister Dr Andrew Wheatley says he did not give approval for the sale of the controlling shares in local telecoms provider Caricel to a South African company… more
Flow Sports secures Caribbean rights for CONCACAF football tournaments
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) has announced that its Caribbean-wide Flow Sports service has secured access to a number of championships run by the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF)… more
Wednesday, 28 February 2018
People should check their phone’s security
Guyana – Dear Editor, I try to limit analyses of companies, but our mobile phone suppliers have long been taking us for a ride where the security of our phones are concerned. This obviously is a result of our own lax attitude in this area… more
Data Protection Act
Jamaica – The Media Association of Jamaica (MAJ) yesterday joined the Press Association of Jamaica in the call for journalism to be exempt from the Data Protection Act, which is now before a Joint Select Committee of Parliament for review… more
OUR Silent About Assessment Of Involution Ltd
Jamaica – The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) is yet to break its silence on revelation that it was asked to conduct a fit and proper assessment of the South African entity that bought controlling shares in local telecoms company Caricel… more
Robinson Tables Questions On Caricel Sale
Jamaica – Opposition spokesman on telecommunications, Julian Robinson, has tabled questions in parliament as he seeks to get answers from the government on the alleged sale of Caricel to South African company, Involution… more
BITT.COM SIGNS MOU WITH THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND MONTSERRAT TO LAUNCH A DIGITAL PAYMENTS PLATFORM
Montserrat – Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSTK) portfolio investment company Bitt.com has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Caribbean island Montserrat to launch a digital payments platform… more
Thursday, 1 March 2018
APUA continues to work on internet and landline outage in Gunthorpes
Antigua and Barbuda – The Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) is working on temporary internet and landline connections in Gunthorpes after a backhoe dug up underground cables in the area on February 24… more
Digicel partners with ZTE to further extend LTE reach
Barbados – Digicel customers are in for the best surprise, across the length and breadth of the island of Barbados… more
Million-dollar bailout for CBC
Barbados – Government has approved a motion tabled in the House of Assembly today to grant the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) a one-time supplementary of BBD$9.2 Million… more
Jamaica Can Replicate Estonia’s Success in Levering Technology for Development – PM
Jamaica – Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, believes Jamaica can replicate the success recorded by Estonia, which has embraced technology to catalyse the nation’s development… more
Jamaica yet to approve Caricel sale
Jamaica – The Jamaican government has yet to approve the sale of local LTE-only network Caricel to South Africa-based investment group Involution Limited, reports the Jamaica Gleaner, citing the country’s technology minister Andrew Wheatley… more
Lack Of Information From Involution Hampering OUR Assessment In Caricel Matter
Jamaica – The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) says the lack of adequate information on the South African entity that has reportedly acquired controlling stake in Caricel is preventing it from completing a fit and proper assessment as requested by the Technology Minister… more
LIKES TO PROFITS: Strategy first, say social media experts
Jamaica – Corporate entities must build a strategy matching the overriding image and goals of the company before embarking on any social media activity, according to experts at the second annual Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) Social Media Business Conference on Wednesday… more
Opposition has more questions for Gov’t on Caricel
Jamaica – WITH a fresh wave of concerns now surrounding the operations of telecommunications company Symbiote Investments, which has reportedly sealed a deal with a South African company, Opposition Spokesman on Technology Julian Robinson yesterday tabled new questions in Parliament for portfolio minister Dr Andrew Wheatley, about the status of the domestic mobile spectrum licence which the Government granted to the company in 2016… more
Cloud Powers Partner’s Resilience in Puerto Rico Recovery
Puerto Rico – Five days after Hurricane Maria ripped across Puerto Rico in September and annihilated the island’s infrastructure, Rock Solid Technologies opened their doors providing a business sanctuary for their clients… more
Is Regional Retail Dead?
Regional – In the newest C360 blog, respected regional economist Marla Dukharan, financier and CEO of Bitt Inc. Rawdon Adams, and regional marketer and Chair of GHA Inc. Greg Hoyos share their points of view on various issues. They begin this week with the question: Is Regional Retail Dead? … more
Friday, 2 March 2018
App Links Asue With Blockchain
Bahamas – A MOBILE application connecting Asue, one of the Bahamas’ oldest saving methods, with the emerging Blockchain technology is now being marketed locally… more
Drive for Bluetooth
Barbados – It seems that some motorists have developed a liking for Bluetooth… more
There’s an app for that!
Barbados – I don’t think I am doing a terrible thing by saying I was born towards the end of the decade of the 70’s… more
Regulator would be “crazy” to shut off phones
Belize – With a permanent injunction now in force on the P.U.C. from collecting, might it decide to withdraw the approval and potentially cripple Speednet’s reach across Belize? … more
Consumer protection, Freedom of Info arriving this year
British Virgin Islands –The long-awaited Freedom of Information and Consumer Protection bills are finally being introduced… more
Cable and Wireless to suspend trading on JSE
Jamaica – Cable and Wireless Jamaica has requested the suspension of trading in its shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange… more
Expo Jamaica to take high-tech focus with Digicel
Jamaica – Expo Jamaica will celebrate its 46th staging this year with a strong focus on ‘smart’ technology that brings businesses and consumers together in the digital space… more
Move Forward With Technological Innovation – Eyre
Jamaica – President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fujitsu Caribbean, Mervyn Eyre, has cautioned leadership at both national and enterprise levels against putting the brakes on technological innovation, stating that any such action will only result in “irrelevance” in today’s fast-paced economy… more
Young techies seek sponsorship to represent Jamaica in UN Hackathon
Jamaica – Corporations, take heed! A team of young Jamaican tech wizards will be travelling to Switzerland on March 18 to compete in the international round of the United Nation’s hackathon against world hunger, having won the local staging last month… more
CANTO Reaffirms Commitment to Engage Regional Policymakers to Develop ICT Policies
Regional – At the Annual General Meeting of CANTO held in Port of Spain Trinidad from February 4 to 6, 2018, one of the major points for discussion among the delegates was the recent change of position by the Federal Communications Commission (‘FCC’) by removing ‘Net Neutrality’ rules, and restoring a light touch regulations approach to support internet freedom, ‘Open Internet’… more
St. Kitts and Nevis to host regional internet registry forum
Saint Kitts and Nevis – A number of technical people and information technology (IT) managers from the public and private sectors across the region will participate in the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) in the Caribbean: St. Kitts and Nevis Forum March 8 at the Ocean Terrace Inn (OTI)… more
Flow meets with business leaders
Saint Lucia – Members of the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture met on Tuesday with the senior leadership team of Flow, the island’s leading telecommunications service provider, at The Harbor Club in Rodney Bay, Gros Islet… more
bmobile powers D’ Junction app
Trinidad and Tobago – For a third straight year, whether playing in a band or trying to link up on the road, finding your team this Carnival Monday and Tuesday is just a few taps away thanks to the Carnival mobile app D’ Junction… more
Cloud technology best way to drive innovation, increase productivity
Trinidad and Tobago – These were the opening remarks of Marcelo Oliveira, Director Data Centre, IT Infrastructure and Continuity at C&W Business. Oliveira was speaking to executives of some of Trinidad’s leading enterprises at the C&W Business Round Table event held recently at the company’s Trincity Operations Centre… more
Facing Facebook reality
Trinidad and Tobago – WE SHOULD all click “Like” on Justice Frank Seepersad’s latest ruling… more
Saturday, 3 March 2018
Bahamian Launches New App, Findpro via LINK-Caribbean Investment
Bahamas – A new mobile application called Findrpro has received $5,000 USD investment via the LINK-Caribbean programme’s 5-5-5 pitch competition.. more
BTC continues to transform its business
Bahamas – Responding to the rapidly changing Bahamas telecommunications industry, and as part of a Companywide strategic approach to transform our business to a more customer-centric, high performing organisation… more
Better equipped
Barbados – Given Government’s limited finances, one of the island’s oldest secondary schools says it has made a conscious decision to turn to corporate Barbados for assistance in improving the learning experience of its students… more
Cayman Islands: Motorola Solutions to provide P25 system and LTE devices
Cayman Islands –In the Cayman Islands, The Ministry of Home Affairs has signed a contract with Motorola Solutions to upgrade the government’s existing radio infrastructure with a modern P25 system (ASTRO 25 infrastructure and APX terminals) to provide coverage throughout the country, including waterways for maritime units… more
Sunday, 4 March 2018
Airbnb sensation
Jamaica – If you have any kind of connection to so cial media, then I guarantee you have heard of Airbnb before… more
Video collaboration — a step up from video conferencing
Jamaica – Moving humans from point A to point B can be very costly and the team at Caribbean Technology Solutions (CTS) has built a business helping companies to be more efficient in getting people to share ideas in the same space… more
WorldRemit Launches Digital Money-Transfer Service For Jamaicans In New York
Jamaica – Money transfer company WorldRemit has made a bid for even more of the online remittance market with a new service for Jamaicans in New York, according to regional head, Erick Schneider… more
Yaneek Page | A Single App Can Boost Business Profitability
Jamaica – During the past week, I received more than 50 questions from entrepreneurs and small business operators having to do with expanding their customer base, increasing sales, and achieving profitability… more
Improve your business with social media
Regional – In the past I have met clients that I have had to literally convince of the importance of social media. They might tell me that it is a waste of time or that they created a page but no one came, I’ve heard it all… more
Image: Kaboompics-Karolina (Pexels); Wikipedia; Facebook; Wikipedia; Facebook; The Eleutheran
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