A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 7 December to Sunday 13 December 2020.
Monday, 7 December 2020
GTT says redundancy plan has limited impact of region-wide internet outage
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) today said that as a result of an internet outage affecting the Region, some of its customers may experience some service interruption… more
Guyana among Caribbean countries affected by Internet outage; GTT says impact minimal
Guyana – Guyana is among several Caribbean countries that were Monday affected by a region-wide Internet outage due to a damaged submarine fibre-optic cable, telecommunication providers said… more
Over 1,400 tablets donated to help students with online learning tools
Jamaica – More 1,400 students across the island will be able to get online for classes and take advantage of distance learning instructions following the donation of digital tablets from the Sandals Foundation… more
Digicel International Enables Digital Money
Regional – Digicel international, a platform that makes the distance between the Diaspora communities worldwide and their loved ones back home a bit shorter, is taking a step further and enabling international money transfers all over the world… more
FLOW: CONNECTIVITY RESTORED AFTER NATIONWIDE AND REGIONAL INTERNET OUTAGE
Regional – Flow Trinidad says it has restored full connectivity for customers who may have been experiencing issues with their broadband services earlier today… more
Digicel back to 100% capacity after outage
Trinidad and Tobago – On Monday morning a series of unfortunate events resulted in a major outage in fibre broadband internet services, affecting multiple internet providers across Trinidad and Tobago and parts of the Caribbean… more
Update: TATT says internet to be restored by midday
Trinidad and Tobago – The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TTAT) said customers affected by internet disruptions should have their service restored by midday… more
Tuesday, 8 December 2020
A New B.T.L. Board of Directors, but Net Vasquez Still Has to Pay
Belize – There is a new Board of Directors at Belize Telemedia Limited headed by former Business Senator Mark Lizarraga as chairman… more
Charting a New Course for B.T.L.
Belize – Does B.T.L. still maintain a competitive edge over other service providers in the country, despite a dismal economic performance… more
Digi warns of Whatsapp scam
Belize – Digi issued a statement today advising all mobile customers to be aware of an existing WhatsApp scam… more
Internal Audit Committee to be Established at B.T.L.
Belize – With a new B.T.L. executive also comes a new structure and administration of the company. According to Chairman Lizarraga, an internal audit department will be answerable to the board of directors via an internal audit committee… more
Is Marconi Leal Junior’s Appointment on B.T.L. Board of Directors a Conflict of Interest?
Belize – The contract signed between Net Vasquez and B.T.L. which came into effect back in mid-January was endorsed by Marconi Leal Junior, in his capacity as Acting Chief Sales and Marketing Officer on behalf of the company… more
Cayman approves 22 digital nomad applications
Cayman Islands – The Cayman Islands government has approved 22 applications in its Global Citizen Concierge programme, accounting for 50 people. As of Friday, three applicants and their families, totalling 11 people, had already arrived on island, tourism officials announced Tuesday… more
Government Leading Technology Acquisition Drive In Schools
Jamaica – Regional Director for the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information’s region four, Dr. Michelle Pinnock, has lauded the Government for leading the technology acquisition drive in educational institutions through the Tablets in Schools programme… more
Broadband users in the Caribbean affected by Subsea fiber break
Regional – Broadband Internet customers in several Caribbean countries are experiencing problems on Monday after their providers informed of a possible fiber fault between Antigua and the French island of Guadeloupe on the Xtera-Optima ECFS segment… more
Rare internet outage strikes Barbados, Eastern Caribbean
Regional – A rare Internet blackout struck Barbados and across six Eastern Caribbean nations on Monday morning, as a fault in the region’s mainline connection to the internet triggered outages and bothersome delays on mobile and broadband internet services… more
Shop Caribe: the online marketplace for products made in the Caribbean
Regional – If you are concerned about contracting COVID-19 and wary of crowds looking for local finds at one of the many markets popping up this season, there is an online platform designed to serve your needs… more
Nationwide power outage in Curacao hits Trinidad & Tobago’s internet
Trinidad and Tobago – A massive blackout in Curaçao yesterday left businesses, schools and public entities throughout T&T without Internet connection during the first few hours of the working day… more
No Internet service, damaged fibre optic cables responsible
Trinidad and Tobago – The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) has advised that the disruption in Internet service to various customers has resulted from damage to submarine telecommunications fibre optic cables located between St Vincent and Grenada, in the region of the Kick’ em Jenny volcano… more
Trinidad and Tobago back online after internet service break
Trinidad and Tobago – Many people in Trinidad and Tobago awoke on Monday morning to find they were unable to get online… more
Wednesday, 9 December 2020
Sandals Foundation donates 200 tablets to Exuma students
Bahamas – Two hundred students in the Exuma Islands are now better able to get online for classes thanks to the delivery of digital tablets by the Sandals Foundation… more
Belize Broadcaster Must Dish Over $15.8M To Satellite Giant
Belize – A Belize broadcaster will have to pay Dish Network nearly $16 million under a Florida federal judge’s order as part of a recent settlement over allegations that it provided customers with unauthorized access to the satellite giant’s TV content… more
Of BTL and Cyber Security in Belize
Belize – Кіndlу аllоw mе ѕоmе ѕрасе іn уоur рrеѕtіgе рlаtfоrm tо dіѕсuѕѕ аnd реrhарѕ іnfоrm оn соuрlе tесh іѕѕuеѕ, І hеаrd оn Веlіzе’ѕ lосаl nеwѕ tоdау. Тhеrе wеrе ѕеvеrаl іѕѕuеѕ whісh rесurѕ іn mу (Суbеr Ѕесurіtу) рѕусhе аftеr lіѕtеnіng tо Веlіzе lосаl nеwѕ оn Воth Сhаnnеl 5 & 7… more
Jamaica Customs Using Technology To Serve Clients During COVID-19
Jamaica – The Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) is employing the use of technology to effectively carry out its mandate, which is focused on trade facilitation, revenue collection and border protection, during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic… more
Visionary educator — Ricardo Allen
Jamaica – WHILE regional education ministries struggled with the challenge of responding to teaching children online there was already a Jamaican company doing just that for a few years, and the man behind the company left a high-level job in the private sector to convert his dream into reality… more
Enterprise computing: people at the heart of transformation
Regional – OVER the past four weeks we focused on the strategy and vision aspect of the digital transformation journey. That section of the trip had three main stops: digital strategy, digital focus, and investments… more
Emergency Communications Project To Be Launched In 2021
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – A long awaited Emergency Communications Network (ECN) designed to facilitate emergency communications will be launched here come January 2021… more
Govt in discussions with cable providers on further risks
Trinidad and Tobago – Government is holding discussions with cable service providers regarding their connectivity risk and is doing its own checks to find the best solution after Monday’s outage of services, says Public Administration Minister Allyson West… more
Thursday, 10 December 2020
Bahamas ‘Dares’ To Enter Digital Industry
Bahamas – The level of interest from digital asset entrepreneurs in using The Bahamas for token issues and other ventures “mandated” this nation move swiftly on a supervisory regime, a top regulator said yesterday… more
BTC blames BPL outages for increase in its cost of providing services
Bahamas – Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) blamed an increase in its cost of providing services on frequent power outages caused by Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), in the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority’s (URCA) final decision on its ‘Consumer Protection Regulations for the Electricity Sector in The Bahamas’, which was released yesterday… more
BTC Blasts BPL On Power Outages
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has complained that frequent outages and poor power quality have increased its costs and led to the “rapid failure” of critical equipment… more
How to turn BTL around
Belize – There was a time when the former Belize Telecommunications Limited (BTL) was the only game in town, long before Intelco, Smart, et al… more
Telemedia reserves say in how Net Vasquez will be dealt with for missing millions
Belize – Whіlе hе аnd Тrорісаl Vіѕіоn Lіmіtеd (Сhаnnеl 7) hаvе аgrееd tо rерау mоrе thаn а mіllіоn dоllаrѕ оwеd bеtwееn thеm tо Веlіzе Теlеmеdіа Lіmіtеd, fоrmеr сhаіrmаn оf thе tеlесоmmunісаtіоnѕ gіаnt Nеѕtоr “Nеt” Vаѕquеz іѕn’t quіtе оff thе hооk… more
100 Schools Get Internet Connectivity
Jamaica – A total of 100 schools have been equipped with Internet service to support online learning… more
1,400 Tablets For Grade Six Students – Sandals Foundation Helping To Support Online Learning
Jamaica – Sandals Foundation has delivered 28 tablets to the Ocho Rios Primary School in St Ann to serve grade six students, who are just above the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education programme threshold, but whose needs were assessed and determined to be of high priority by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information… more
PwC Jamaica donates 40 tablets to Holy Trinity High
Jamaica – The partners of PwC Jamaica gifted 40 tablets to Holy Trinity High School during a presentation ceremony held at the institution on Monday, December 7, 2020… more
TelEm Fiber now available in more areas.
Sint Maarten – TelEm Group employees and contractors working on the TelEm Fiber island-wide fiber-optic network, currently being rolled out throughout St. Maarten, are stepping up efforts to connect residential and commercial properties in time for Christmas and the New Year… more
Digicel again fails in legal claim against TSTT
Trinidad and Tobago – DIGICEL (Trinidad and Tobago) has again failed in a legal claim against its mobile competitor, Telecommunication Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT), related to the portability of customers’ cellphone numbers from one network to the other… more
Girls get help for online business
Trinidad and Tobago – Young girls got critical advice on how to be self-sufficient through technology at a recent Tech4Girls workshop hosted by various stakeholders… more
What’s the plan when TT goes offline
Trinidad and Tobago – Minister of Public Administration and Digital Transformation Allyson West on Tuesday in the Senate described this week’s crippling internet outage as “a bit of Murphy’s Law.” In other words, anything that can go wrong will go wrong… more
Friday, 11 December 2020
BFA Presents Tablets To Ministry Of Education
Bahamas – “WE remain committed to youth development in The Bahamas beyond the football pitch,” explained Anton Sealy, president of The Bahamas Football Association (BFA) as they presented 100 tablets complete with MIFI devices to The Ministry of Education… more
Belize Telemedia expands infrastructure management deal with IT firm, FNT Software
Belize – Веlіzе Теlеmеdіа Ltd., whісh іѕ сurrеntlу undеr thе mаnаgеmеnt оf а nеw bоаrd, hаѕ аgrееd tо аn ехраnѕіоn оf аn ехіѕtіng іnfrаѕtruсturе mаnаgеmеnt соntrасt wіth FNТ Ѕоftwаrе, аn Аmеrісаn-bаѕеd fіrm thаt рrоvіdеѕ ѕоftwаrе ѕоlutіоnѕ fоr іntеgrаtеd mаnаgеmеnt оf ІТ, dаtа сеntеr, аnd tеlесоmmunісаtіоn nеtwоrkѕ… more
Dominican Republic reiterates 5G tender without China
Dominican Republic – The Dominican State is preparing to carry out in the second week of January next year a tender for the airwaves to install 5G technology, which will make the Dominican Republic the second country in Latin America who runs that kind of contest… more
Hundreds to benefit from free Wi-Fi this Christmas
Jamaica – HUNDREDS of residents in Portland, Clarendon, St Mary and St Ann are set to benefit from free high-speed Internet under the Universal Service Fund’s (USF) Wi-Fi Hotspot Programme, before Christmas… more
iCreate expands virtual classes
Jamaica – iCreate Limited recorded revenue of $7.8 million in the three months of September 30, 2020, a decrease of 52 per cent when compared to the corresponding period in 2019… more
PM Says Jamaicans Should Embrace Digital Technology And Commerce
Jamaica – Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has emphasised that Jamaicans should embrace digital technology and commerce, and that there is commitment to financial inclusion for all Jamaicans… more
Huawei Fulfills its Promise with T5 Tablets
Trinidad and Tobago – Huawei Technologies (T&T) Limited fulfilled its promise to participate in the T&T Ministry of Education’s ADOPT-A-SCHOOL Programme, by distributing over a total of 100 Huawei T5 Tablets to five (5) schools across the island… more
Trinidad & Tobago: Another internet disruption unlikely
Trinidad and Tobago – CEO of the Telecommunications Authority of TT (TATT) Cynthia Reddock-Downes said the likelihood of another nationwide internet disruption like what occurred on Monday is “low… more
Saturday, 12 December 2020
Digicel, Flow reps talk fair usage policy and ‘unlimited’ plans
Jamaica – The island’s telecommunications providers have emphasised that the fair usage policy attached to their unlimited plans are in place to ensure equity among customers, in the use of the network… more
FlowTT country manager on outage: Time to switch internet connectivity
Trinidad and Tobago – On the evening of December 11, FlowTT country manager Kurleigh Prescod and two communications professionals sat for an exclusive virtual interview with technology journalist Mark Lyndersay to explain what happened to Flow’s Internet connection on the morning of December 7… more
Sunday, 13 December 2020
A Caribbean AI ecosystem?
Regional – On December 10 United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in partnership with the Broadcasting Commission, hosted the first in a series of online webinars titled Caribbean Artificial Intelligence (AI) Forum… more
Image credits: carterse (flickr); Brands of the World; Belize Web; Wikipedia; Wikimedia Commons; The Eleutheran; Wikipedia; Facebook
