A roundup of the ICT\/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 1 October to Sunday 7 October 2012.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/a>Monday, 1 October 2012<\/h3>\n

Data Usage Soars After Major Mobile Upgrades<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Customers living, working or vacationing in The Bahamas are texting more, talking less and accessing data at rates and speeds that not long ago would have been the stuff of science fiction, thanks to an 18-month, $42.8 million mobile network upgrade by BTC that has catapulted the local telecom environment ahead of many parts of the world\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Now the best time to own a business\u2019<\/h4>\n

Barbados<\/em> \u2013 Thanks to the Internet, there has never been a better time to own a small or medium-sized business, says First Citizens Bank deputy chief executive officer Sharon Christopher\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Belize Government Fights To Keep Telecoms Company<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has ordered the Belize government to defer to a date not before December 14 the issue of the declaration of dividends of a telecommunication company in which it has controlling shares\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

No dividends issued at Telemedia meeting<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 Telemedia held its annual general meeting on Friday night as scheduled\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Telemedia Chairman, Internet cheaper than coke; no joke<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 Earlier this year, a survey of the Caribbean indicated that Belize is amongst the countries with the slowest and most expensive internet speeds\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

After US$13.0M \u201ccyber scandal,\u201d the Palace, Microsoft start fresh<\/h4>\n

Dominican Republic <\/em>\u2013 Presidential Communication and Information Technology Office (OPTIC) director Armando Garcia met with senior executives of Microsoft in his office, to implement technology strategies aimed at bolstering president Danilo Medina\u2019s plans for development\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Flow’s Tops In Corporate Social Responsibility<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Columbus Communication Jamaica Limited, operator of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions, is this year’s recipient of the award for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), for its contribution to education, sports, arts and culture and community development\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Tuesday, 2 October 2012<\/h3>\n

Information Commissioner on the job<\/h4>\n

Antigua & Barbuda <\/em>\u2013 Despite his deafening silence over the past weeks about his appointment, the new Information Commissioner said he has been on the job familiarizing himself with his new post\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

BTC Reports 800 Percent Increase in Data Usage<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Data usage amongst Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) customers has skyrocketed due to the company\u2019s $42.8 million mobile network upgrade\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

GT&T commissions $40M cellular site at Orealla<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 Residents of Orealla now have the opportunity to stay connected with the rest of the world. This was made possible when the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GT&T) on Saturday last commissioned a $40M cellular site in the remote Region Six (East Berbice\/Corentyne) community\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Minister Lauds IT Company for Investing US$23 million in Mo-bay<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, has commended owners of Vistaprint Jamaica Limited, micro business products and services provider, for investing US$23 million in their new customer service centre in Montego Bay\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Wednesday, 3 October 2012<\/h3>\n

<\/a>OECS ministers to meet in Antigua<\/h4>\n

Antigua & Barbuda <\/em>\u2013 Telecommunication ministers from the sub-regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) meet here on Thursday\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

BTC To Invest Millions To Secure Internet Market<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Fresh off the heels of a $40+ million investment that netted an 800% increase in data usage following transformation of its mobile network, BTC\u2019s CEO said the telecom company is\u00a0spending another $60+ million to upgrade landline service in a bid to win loyalty from business and residential users and to create the nation\u2019s fastest internet service\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

El Salvador Sees Digicel As ‘Price Maverick’<\/h4>\n

El Salvador <\/em>\u2013 To El Salvador, Digicel Group is a ‘maverick’ that opened up price competition in the market\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Yellow Pages Launches Bb App<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 On the heels of launching their Jamaica Yellow Pages mobile app for Android and Apple users in April, Jamaica Yellow Pages is back with their highly anticipated BlackBerry mobile app\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Thursday, 4 October 2012<\/h3>\n

ECTEL to hold first ever meeting in Antigua<\/h4>\n

Antigua & Barbuda <\/em>\u2013 Telecoms Ministers from the OECS will for the first time meet in Antigua for the 26th meeting of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) council slated for October 4th to 5th at the Grand Royal Antiguan Resort\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

BTC: 50% Client Growth Belies Bottom Ranking<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday charged that this nation\u2019s joint last ranking on mobile Internet penetration was based on \u201cdated\u201d data, telling Tribune Business it had enjoyed 50 per cent subscriber growth to 30,000 mobile broadband clients over the last year\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

BTC Unveils Its Internet Upgrades<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) will spend another $60 million-plus to upgrade its land-line service in a bid to win back residential users and create the fastest Internet service in the country\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

URCA investigating \u2018decrease\u2019 in BTC service quality<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Even as the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) investigates that network outage that resulted in the loss of service to thousands of Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) customers earlier this year, it is also looking into a recent \u201cdecrease\u201d in the quality of service offered by the telecoms company\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Communications ministry works on information and communications policy<\/h4>\n

British Virgin Islands <\/em>\u2013 As part of the benefits derived from being affiliated with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), the British Virgin Islands (BVI) will soon be working on an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Policy that will establish clear specific goals for ICT, enable national development and clarify Government policy on the use of technology\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Puerto Rico to host global coalition to fight cybercrime<\/h4>\n

Puerto Rico <\/em>\u2013 Cybercrime fighting association APWG is hosting an unprecedented summit of global authorities this fall in Puerto Rico\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Google backs Caribbean Internet Exchange<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Regional efforts to improve the quality of Internet services received a boost when global search engine giant Google, gave its support to an initiative to establish Internet Exchange Points (IXP)s across the Caribbean\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

LIME to bring 4G to St. Kitts and Nevis<\/h4>\n

St. Kitts & Nevis <\/em>\u2013 Telecommunications giant, LIME, is on another pioneering move, having announced on Tuesday (Oct. 2) their intention to bring 4G network to the St. Kitts and Nevis customers before the end of this year\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Friday, 5 October 2012<\/h3>\n

Data protection big change for news media<\/h4>\n

Cayman Islands <\/em>\u2013 One effect of the Cayman Islands\u2019 proposed data protection legislation will be that, for the first time, a formal complaints process can be used against news organisations, as well as against other public and private entities that process personal information\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Number Portability on Track \u2013 Paulwell<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, has said the Government is on track to enable number portability this financial year\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

ATM Targeted? Guyanese remanded in St.Vincent<\/h4>\n

St. Vincent & the Grenadines <\/em>\u2013 Five men and two women, all from Guyana, have been remanded into custody until February 4\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

HBO Latin America and Karib Cable Reach Broadcast Agreement<\/h4>\n

St. Vincent & the Grenadines <\/em>\u2013 HBO Latin America Group (LAG) and Karib Cable formally announced that both Companies have signed an agreement for the transmission of the HBO LAG channels to be broadcasted in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, beginning October 1st\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Saturday, 6 October 2012<\/h3>\n

BTC to invest over USD 60 mln in fixed network upgrade<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) plans to invest over USD 60 million in its fixed line phone and internet network upgrade\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

BTC opens first Franchise store in GB<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Grand Bahama has been chosen as the location for the first Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) franchise store\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

URCA could regulate BEC<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Amid recurring island-wide blackouts that have left thousands of consumers without electricity in New Providence, and a recent 25 percent reconnection fee increase, the Utilities Regulations and Competition Authority (URCA) said it is looking at the possibility of regulating and overseeing the Bahamas Electricity Company (BEC)\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Haiti – Technology : Project of National Commission on the Reform of the Digital Television<\/h4>\n

Haiti <\/em>\u2013 During a meeting with leaders of Associations of Media, the Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe has announced that he envisaged the establishment of a National Commission on the Reform of Digital Television to allow Haiti to adapt to the changes during the next two years, with the transition to digital, and meet the deadline, set for 17 June 2015\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel intros ‘Be Extraordinary’ brand platform in Jamaica<\/h4>\n

Jamaica<\/em> \u2013 Digicel has launched its ‘Be Extraordinary’ brand platform in Jamaica\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Sunday, 7 October 2012<\/h3>\n

Antigua Gains Observer Status On ECTEL<\/h4>\n

OECS<\/em> \u2013 Antigua and Barbuda is set to gain observer status with the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL)\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

TelEm Group educating the public about use of 1-721 area code for St. Maarten<\/h4>\n

St. Maarten <\/em>\u2013 TelEm Group is stepping up education to the general public about the use of the new 1-721 area code for St. Maarten\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Image credits: \u00a0RambergMediaImages<\/a>\u00a0(flickr); \u00a0ECTEL<\/a>; \u00a0Henrico Prins<\/a> (flickr)<\/em><\/p>\n

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