A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 28 March to Sunday 3 April 2022.
Monday, 28 March 2022
OTT services dominant, but unlikely to replace mobile telephony and messaging, says URCA
Bahamas – Despite the increasing preference of Bahamian mobile phone users to use overt-the-top (OTT) services as their main form of communication, the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) said it remains very unlikely that OTT usage will completely replace traditional mobile telephony and messaging… more
Regulatory Easing For BTC On Double-Digit Mobile Fall
Bahamas – Regulators are proposing to ease the Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) regulatory burden after its mobile revenue share suffered annual double-digit declines in each of the five years after Aliv entered the market… more
URCA: Parts of regulatory rules levied upon BTC should be eliminated
Bahamas – Since the introduction of a second mobile network operator (MNO) to the Bahamian market in 2016, total mobile connections increased by more than 14 percent between 2016 and 2020, representing an increase from 365,840 to 417,992 connections and a mobile penetration rate of more than 100 percent… more
Dominicans among Caribbean nationals invited to apply for CTO scholarships in cybersecurity and data science among others
Caribbean – Dominican and other Caribbean nationals are being provided with the opportunity to obtain scholarships to pursue studies in the areas of cybersecurity and data science, among other fields… more
Get Safe Online reveals emails are a top target for criminals
Cayman Islands – More than nine in ten adults (93 per cent) across 22 Commonwealth nations are unaware that email passwords and access to personal and business email accounts are the top target for criminals and other malicious actors, according to new research from Get Safe Online… more
Flow commercials earn advertising awards
Jamaica – Flow was recently awarded eight American Advertising Awards through the Caribbean Advertising Federation (CAF) for its 2021 Summer and Christmas campaigns… more
Grandparents learn about technology
Trinidad and Tobago – “I have gained more knowledge about technology, smart devices, and social media, and the workshop also assisted by teaching me the importance of listening to my grandchildren… more
Tuesday, 29 March 2022
Smartphone Penetration Hits 98% Of Bahamians
Bahamas – Just 2 percent of Bahamians do not own a smartphone or tablet, communications regulators have revealed, with total mobile connections exceeding the size of the country’s population… more
Top winners awarded in BTC’s Safer Internet Day competition
Bahamas – A total cash prize of $2,500 was shared among four students who secured top spots in Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) recent Safer Internet Day Video Competition… more
ECSE to launch Regulated Digital Asset Platform
Caribbean – The Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange Ltd (ECSE) is pleased to announce the signing of a Master Agreement with Canadian FinTech Blockstation to launch a new blockchain-driven tokenized securities market… more
ECTEL/NTRC hold 22nd Consultative Forum
Caribbean – A RANGE OF issues touching on telecommunications was addressed last week Monday, March 21 at a joint consultative forum led by the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL)… more
New digital wallet initiatives for consumers across the OECS region
Caribbean – The St. Lucia-based digital wallet provider, Penny Pinch, says it has entered into an exclusive alliance with Mastercard that will allow the two companies to promote financial inclusion efforts across the Eastern Caribbean islands by offering a suite of payment and acceptance solutions… more
C3 Pure Fibre awarded fastest fixed network in Cayman
Cayman Islands – C3 Pure Fibre has been named the newest winner of the Ookla® Speedtest Award™ for the fastest fixed network in the Cayman Islands. This announcement comes with great recognition of superior network performance… more
Jamaica to use crash data collection platform to improve road safety
Jamaica – The Jamaican Ministry of Transport and Mining has signed a contract with TRL Software to provide its web-based accident analysis software system, iMaap… more
SmartAlert to provide prompt warning about natural disasters
Jamaica – The Meteorological Service of Jamaica (Met Service) is developing a SmartAlert programme, which will provide prompt notifications to citizens about various hazards that could affect their area… more
‘Fighting cybercrime crucial for business success’
Trinidad and Tobago – IN THE Latin America and Caribbean region, including Trinidad and Tobago, cyberattacks increased by 600 per cent at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021… more
Online payment services restored, says bmobile
Trinidad and Tobago – bmobile said its online payment system is back in service. In an update today the company said its online payment services are now fully operational… more
Wednesday, 30 March 2022
Cloud Carib named 2021 CyberArk Partner of the Year
Bahamas – Based in Nassau and celebrating ten years of innovation and service, Cloud Carib has been named CyberArk’s 2021 Partner of the Year for the LATAM region. Over the past decade, the advancement of technology in the Caribbean has felt sluggish… more
New online permit system to address previous shortcomings
British Virgin Islands – Immigration and Labour Minister Vincent Wheatley said a ‘2.0’ version of the online work permit system that was shelved after being blamed for much of the current work permit delays, will likely remedy much of the ails of the previous version… more
Electronic Communications Regulators Meet for the 22nd ECTEL/NTRC Consultative Forum
Caribbean – The Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) staged the 22nd ECTEL/National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) Consultative Forum on 21st March, 2022… more
AI wrote this article about Jamaica
Jamaica – Jamaica is a beautiful country with a lot to offer. It is the best vacation spot for those looking for an exotic and relaxing experience… more
Almando Cox, proud IT entrepreneur
Jamaica – Almando Cox, president and CEO of ResolveIT, recounts that he had an innate entrepreneurial flair because he always enjoyed finding solutions to problems as a youngster… more
EduFocal acquires US edtech company
Jamaica – EduFocal Limited has acquired the digital assets of United States-based education technology company cleverschoolteacher.com… more
FLOW supports BPO push for work-from-home policy
Jamaica – ANDREW FAZIO, director of business process outsourcing (BPO) and hospitality, Cable and Wireless Business, a subsidiary of telecommunications giant FLOW, has thrown the company’s support behind calls for a work-from-home policy arrangement… more
IT specialist leaves job to pursue passion as an artist
Jamaica – After working in the government service for over 20 years, Shawn C. Ashman quit her job in December to pursue her passion of being a artist… more
Paramount+ announces partnership with C&W Communications
Jamaica – Paramount+, the global digital subscription video streaming service from Paramount, has announced an alliance with C&W Communications… more
Slimmer banks hit new digital highways
Jamaica – BANKING sources have told the Jamaica Observer that the race to new digital frontiers in the transactional space is intensely competitive, with service providers watching each other either to match or exceed the pace of the fastest mover… more
Prime Minister Harris earmarks digitalization and the blue economy as new frontiers of economic development in the Federation
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis has one of the best performing economies in the Caribbean region due to prudent fiscal management policies put in place by the Team Unity administration under the leadership of Prime Minister Dr. the Hon Timothy Harris… more
St. Kitts PM: We will build ‘state-of-the-art’ data center to bring big business
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis has said the country will build a new data center… more
Thursday, 31 March 2022
ECSE signs agreement with Canada-based Blockstation
Caribbean – The Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange (ECSE) has signed an agreement with the Canada-based Blockstation to launch a regulated digital asset platform… more
Bank of Jamaica rolls out its digital currency ‘Jam-Dex’
Jamaica – Jamaica’s Central Bank’s decision to pursue its own digital currency is as much an effort to reach out to the relative unbanked segment of the population as it is to continue the Western Caribbean country’s effort to digitise its economy… more
SVL inks ‘ChargeUp’ deal with EduFocal
Jamaica – Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) has signed an agreement with education and technology company EduFocal which will allow its customers to top up their EduFocal accounts through SVL’s ‘ChargeUp’ platform… more
UPDATE: 38-y-o arrested in pre-dawn anti-scamming operation, charged
Jamaica – A man believed to be involved in lottery scamming was arrested and charged on Thursday following an early morning operation in Blytheson, St James… more
Penny Pinch and Mastercard Announce Partnership to Develop Digital Payment Solutions
Saint Lucia – Penny Pinch, The Saint Lucia and Eastern Caribbean’s leading digital wallet provider, Monday announced an exclusive alliance with Mastercard as part of its strategy to adapt and grow its presence in the islands… more
Ansa Bank leads the way in digital-first thinking
Trinidad and Tobago – Last year in May, managing director of Ansa Commercial Bank Robert Le Hunte told Newsday that he had the formula for taking the bank to the next level… more
Spotify launches Ad Studio for TT
Trinidad and Tobago – Spotify, the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service, today announced that its self-serve ad channel, Spotify Ad Studio, is now live in Trinidad and Tobago, following its welcomed entry into the Caribbean market in 2021… more
Friday, 1 April 2022
Cable Bahamas Group launches High Heels in High Places Mentorship Program
Bahamas – The Cable Bahamas Group of Companies launched its High Heels in High Places Mentorship Program on Thursday, March 24th, 2022… more
Govt aiming for rollout of digital identity cards system in 2023
Bahamas – The government is close to selecting an expert to help the country roll out a national digital identity system by early 2023, Prime Minister Philip Davis said yesterday during the 2022 Bahamas Government Digital Transformation Symposium at Margaritaville resort, which he contended is fundamental to the government’s ability to continue providing e-government services… more
TRC to hold public hearing on adoption of amendments to Unitary Licences
British Virgin Islands – On 11 April 2022, a public hearing will be held by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of the Virgin Islands (Commission) in relation to the proposed adoption of amendments to Unitary Licences as contained in the Notice to Adopt a Directive on the Amendment of Unitary Licences issued by the Commission on 30 December 2021… more
Cayman tech company woos Indian and regional IT talent
Cayman Islands – Nearshore Americas (NSA), the BPO and Information Technology news source has highlighted new developments in the Cayman Islands, where PeerIslands, an IT consultancy which delivers cloud digital transformation (DX) services from the Cayman Islands is putting down roots… more
Stephen Flint appointed new CEO of Digicel Grenada
Grenada – igicel has announced the appointment of Stephen Flint as the Chief Executive Officer of Digicel Grenada. Prior to his appointment, Flint was employed Crown Castle where he worked as a Site Acquisition Manager in the United States… more
GTT says complaints by customers significantly down
Guyana – During the COVID-19 Pandemic, and the months leading up to the reopening of the country, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) Company recorded around 3000 faults from customers experiencing various shortfalls, as a result of the services provided by the company… more
Digita Global supports 150 SMEs with digital solutions
Jamaica – Digita Global Marketing Limited is reporting that it has assisted 150 local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) develop their businesses with digital solutions under the Development Bank of Jamaica’s (DBJ) Serve Jamaica programme… more
UWI professor releases book on digital transformation
Jamaica – The new Chair of The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Steering Committee and Head of the Digital Transformation Strategic Initiative, Professor Lloyd Waller, has published his latest book, “Digital Transformation for Higher Education Institution: A Framework for the Future”… more
St Kitts angling for business with new data centre
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Saint Kitts and Nevis is set to build a new data centre in a bid to boost its economy… more
Appeal Court to rule on whether TSTT is a public authority
Trinidad and Tobago – The Court of Appeal is expected to soon rule on the question of whether the Telecommunication Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) a public authority… more
NIHERST’s Deep Tech Revolution continues
Trinidad and Tobago – In an ever-changing global climate, adaptation is indeed the catalyst to success… more
Saturday, 2 April 2022
75 percent discount on internet service for GTT retirees
Guyana – Retired staff members of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) company are set to benefit from a 75 percent reduction in their internet costs. This was revealed by Jasmin Harris, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Corporate Communication at GTT… more
GTT helping to reduce prank calls to fire service
Guyana – GTT says it has collaborated with the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) to modernize its calling and reporting infrastructure through the donation of four phones equipped with caller ID and recorders and this will reduce prank calls… more
Sunday, 3 April 2022
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Images credit: Adeolu Eletu (Unsplash); Bahamas Weekly; Wikipedia; Facebook; Wikipedia; LogoUK; Wikimedia Commons; Guyana Chronicle
