Roundup: for the week ending 5 July 2020

A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 29 June to Sunday 5 July 2020.

Monday, 29 June 2020

2019 Future Of Antigua and Barbuda Telecommunications Market- Trends, Outlook and Growth Opportunities of Mobile, Fixed Landline and Broadband Markets

Antigua and Barbuda – The Antigua and Barbuda Telecommunications Market report includes substantial information related to the market driving forces which are highly influencing the vendor portfolio of the Antigua and Barbuda Telecommunications Market and its impact on the market share in terms of revenue of this industry… more

5G conspiracy theories make their way to LA

Cayman Islands – With one application from a new but unidentified company to roll out a 5G network in the Cayman Islands, Premier Alden McLaughlin was fending off questions in the Legislative Assembly on Monday about social media conspiracy theories… more

Local IT company organises laptop donations to students

Cayman Islands – Over 300 students at government primary schools are now finding online learning and schoolwork much easier, thanks to a large donation of HP Chromebooks… more

Digicel announces final plan for debt reduction

Regional – Digicel, a leading communications and entertainment provider with a standout brand, exceptional people and strong market positions across 32 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and Asia Pacific today announces that Digicel Group One Limited’s (“DGL1”) scheme of arrangement (the “Scheme”) is effective… more

Digicel invites rival company, Orange to turn the page on their litigation

Regional – HAVING been awarded a multimillion court judgment, Jamaica-based telecommunications giant Digicel has requested that its rival company, Orange, based in France, not take their litigation any further… more

Digital transformation is a must —IDB’s Therese Turner-Jones

Regional – While the COVID-19 pandemic has sprouted innovations and opportunities to combat its impact, digital transformation is necessary to aid countries’ sustainability, according to Therese Turner-Jones, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) general manager and country representative for Jamaica… more

Fitch revises Digicel’s credit rating

Regional – INTERNATIONAL ratings agency, Fitch has revised and assigned new ratings to Digicel’s corporate family following the conclusion of its distressed debt exchange… more

Digicel Business & Trend Media help SMBs get “Back 2 Business”

Trinidad and Tobago – The two powerhouses of telecommunication connectivity and digital media are joining forces to help local small and medium-sized businesses thrive in the ‘new normal’ and get back to business… more

Tuesday, 30 June 2020

Aliv And Digicel Make It Easier To Send Top-Ups To Haiti

Bahamas – Aliv has teamed with Digicel, the pan-Caribbean communications provider, to enable Haitians resident in The Bahamas to send mobile top-ups and plans to relatives and friends… more

Growth & Jobs | Embracing Digital Opportunities In COVID-19

Jamaica – Experts in the field of technology are encouraging businesses to take advantage of the digital opportunities for growth that are now available due to the COVID-19 pandemic… more

Growth & Jobs | Protect Your Business Against Cyberattacks

Jamaica – Cybersecurity threats have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore, local technology experts are urging businesses operators and organisations to be aware of these threats and to put measures in place to address them… more

RGD To Introduce Online Birth Certificate Application Services

Jamaica – Jamaicans locally and overseas will soon be able to apply online to the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) for birth certificates… more

Digicel to pull paid advertising on Facebook in July

Regional – Digicel announced today it will cease all paid advertising activities on Facebook platforms globally in July, as the company takes a stand against hate speech online… more

Cloud-based platforms future of business

Trinidad and Tobago – RESTRICTIONS on public gatherings and stay-at-home regulations meant a huge shift towards people working from home… more

Wednesday, 1 July 2020

SCHOOL RECEIVES 15 NEW TABLETS

Barbados – The children of Barbados continue to receive donations of electronic equipment, and yesterday morning the Rotary Club of Barbados (South) presented 15 tablets to Arthur Smith Primary, the adopted school of the club… more

COMMENTARY — VI urged to prepare for 5G

British Virgin Islands – We might view contemptuously United States President Donald Trump’s attempts to revive the US coal industry against global moves towards cleaner energy, but he gave an enormous boost to the US economy in 2018 when he signed presidential memorandum 0-2518, directing the US Commerce Department to develop a long-term comprehensive national spectrum strategy to prepare for next-generation 5G wireless networks… more

C&W Communications Expands Its B2B Operations in the Cayman Islands

Cayman Islands – C&W Communications, operator of the Flow, BTC and UTS brands in the Caribbean, today announced the acquisition of IT Outsource Ltd. (“ITO”), a leading Managed Service Provider (MSP) in the Cayman Islands… more

Future Of Dominica Telecommunications Market 2020 – Trends, Outlook and Growth Opportunities of Mobile, Fixed Landline and Broadband Markets

Dominica – The future value proposition for telecommunications market in Dominica to 2025 is detailed in the report. It also provides imperatives for gaining market share in highly competitive telecom industry… more

Hackers Hyperactive During COVID, Says Digicel

Jamaica – Hacking activity has spiked during the pandemic, targeted mainly at banks, but also government sites, according to regional telecoms Digicel… more

Montserrat’s subsea fibre-optic cable project progresses steadily

Montserrat – Work on the installation of the new submarine fibre optic cable system on Montserrat continues steadily towards completion… more

Companies uncertain about COVID-19 recovery timeline – Digicel survey

Regional – Digicel on Tuesday released the findings of a new survey which shows that most business leaders in Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago are uncertain about the future… more

Thursday, 2 July 2020

All Government School Students to Receive Free Access to a Laptop

Cayman Islands – The Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports, Agriculture and Lands (MEYSAL) has announced the Cabinet’s approved funding for the provision of laptops to all Government school students for use at home and at school… more

Guyana appeals for improved internet services

Guyana – Education battered by COVID-19… Guyana’s education system has been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with the country appealing for help… more

HOPE Interns To Assist Technology Ministry’s Digitisation Programme

Jamaica – The Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology’s digitisation programme has been strengthened with the addition of 40 young people, who will assist in the digital transformation exercise… more

Transforming Lives And Communities – Transformed Life Church, Digicel Foundation Donate Tablets, Data To Needy Students

Jamaica – TRANSFORMED LIFE Church (TLC), in partnership with the Digicel Foundation, recently handed over 100 tablets for 50 students at seven primary schools in Portland and 50 students at a high school in St Mary… more

[UPDATED] Digicel seeks injunction over number portability

Trinidad and Tobago – DIGICEL has filed an application for an injunction against its mobile competitor TSTT seeking to stop its rejection of subscribers wanting to port their numbers to the Digicel network… more

Friday, 3 July 2020

Bahamas Tourism Mobile App Launches

Bahamas – The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation’s new, free mobile app provides an easy to use resource and tool for consumers planning a visit to The Islands Of The Bahamas… more

Port Authority Teams For Improved IT Skills

Bahamas – The Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) has teamed with a local call centre to develop a workforce with skills required by the sector and wider technology industry… more

Minister says ST&I Policy to address Internet access

Jamaica – MINISTER of Science, Energy and Technology Fayval Williams says the Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) Policy will address issues within the technology sector, such as Internet access… more

E-Learning: Over 300 tablets distributed to date here on Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis – Minister Liburd was speaking during a sitting of the Nevis Island Assembly, on Thursday July 2nd. Students began to receive their devices on May 28th 2020, according to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education in St. Kitts, Mr. Vincent Hodge… more

FLOW donates Samsung smartphone to Police Force

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – On Wednesday, July 1, FLOW SVG Limited donated a Samsung Galaxy J2 Core smartphone to the Public Relations and Complaints Department of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force… more

Digicel files injunction against bmobile

Trinidad and Tobago – Digicel Trinidad has filed a court injunction against a mobile competitor which Guardian Media Ltd understands is bmobile… more

Saturday, 4 July 2020

– Nil –

Sunday, 5 July 2020