A roundup of the latest ICT\/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 20 July to Sunday 26 July 2015.<\/em><\/p>\n

\nMonday, 20 July 2015<\/h3>\n

Union Unsure Of Number Of BTC Staff To Be Laid Off<\/h4>\n

Bahamas<\/em> \u2013 BAHAMAS Communications and Public Officers Union Secretary General Dino Rolle yesterday said he was unsure how many employees will be laid off by BTC in this round of downsizing but said the company has already started issuing separation packages\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Flow-ing all across the island<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) took to the streets over the weekend with a mini-Crop Over-type motorcade as the company continued to Paint Barbados Blue, launching its refreshed consumer brand Flow\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Dominican developing 3D animation game<\/h4>\n

Dominica <\/em>\u2013 Albert Pierre, 28, of Grand Fond who resides in the USVI is in the process of building a 3-dimension video game which he believes will help market Dominica internationally\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Over 90 Educators Better Skilled In ICT<\/h4>\n

Dominica<\/em> \u2013 On Friday July 17th, over 90 individuals were awarded certificates at a closing ceremony of a two week Information and Communication Technology Training Programme\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Operators Worldwide Look to GLDS for Customer Management, Billing & Provisioning<\/h4>\n

Regional<\/em> \u2013 Great Lakes Data Systems, Inc. (GLDS), the leading provider of customer management and billing systems for the small to medium-sized broadband service providers, today announced it has recently converted five new operators to its WinCable\u00ae subscriber management and billing system in the last 6 months, including Digicel Group \u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Tuesday, 21 July 2015<\/h3>\n

Cayman by numbers: population grows nearly 6%<\/h4>\n

Cayman Islands <\/em>\u2013 The Cayman Islands population has grown by over 5.8%, from 55,036 people in 2010 when the last national census was conducted to 58,238 at the end of last year\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

As Havana opens Washington embassy, bipartisan bill seeks to improve Internet access in Cuba<\/h4>\n

Cuba<\/em> \u2013 On Monday, the Cuban government officially opened an embassy on United States soil for the first time since 1961, a key step in updating US-Cuba relations for the 21st century\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Private\u00a0Citizen triumphs over GT&T at CCJ<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 Within weeks of hearing an appeal made by Mr. James Samuels, the Caribbean Court of Justice (\u201cCCJ\u201d) unanimously overturned the Guyana Court of Appeal\u2019s decision that Samuels\u2019 use of VoIP breached his contract with GT&T\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Mobile Top-Up Company Promotes Family Planning With Free Minutes<\/h4>\n

Haiti <\/em>\u2013 Ding, a mobile top-up company, \u00a0partnered with Haiti Projects, a nonprofit organization working in rural Haiti to lower the rate of unplanned pregnancies in the region\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Jamaica’s venture capital programme ranks ninth in Caribbean and Latin America<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Jamaica\u2019s efforts to put venture capital into the investment and entrepreneurial mix are paying off. The Latin American Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (LAVCA) has ranked the country ninth in its 2015-2016 Scorecard, thereby placing Jamaica ahead of the Dominican Republic and Argentina\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Branson launches Caribbean entrepreneurship centre<\/h4>\n

Regional<\/em> \u2013 Richard Branson and Virgin Unite-founded Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship-Caribbean (BCOEC) has launched a non-academic online skills training programme to increase its intake of potential entrepreneurs across the region\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Cable & Wireless Reiterates Guidance As First Quarter Revenue Up 4%<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Cable & Wireless Communications PLC Tuesday reiterated its guidance for its current year to end-March 2016, as it saw revenue rise 4% in its first quarter\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Cable & Wireless Sales Rise as Columbus Deal Offsets Slow Mobile<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Cable & Wireless Communications Plc said first-quarter sales rose 4 percent as the acquisition of Barbados-based Columbus International Inc. helped offset a flat performance at its mobile phone business\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

CCJ rules against Guyana telephone company in VoIP case<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 The Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has ruled that the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) breached its contract in disconnecting a customer\u2019s internet service because of his use of Vonage, an internet phone service which uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Phoenix Rising: Please pass the passion!<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 A few years ago retired General Colin Powell was toying with the idea of running for the presidency of the United States\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Q1 2015\/16 Trading Update<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 This announcement provides an update on the First Quarter performance and financial position of the Group since the year ended 31 March 2015. Interim results for the period ending 30 September 2015 are expected to be announced on 5 November 2015\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Wednesday, 22 July 2015<\/h3>\n

BTC Roaming Rates \u201812x Higher\u2019 Than Caribbean<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 The Bahamas Telecommunications Company\u2019s (BTC) controlling shareholder yesterday said it had little choice but to slash roaming rates that were 12 times\u2019 higher than the Caribbean average, a move that caused a 9 per cent slump in its total mobile revenues\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

BTC Targets B2B, TV Markets For Cable \u2018Fight Back\u2019<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) is targeting the business and video markets to \u201cfight back\u201d against Cable Bahamas, having already installed its new TV product for the 12 sets in Prime Minister Perry Christie\u2019s Cable Beach home\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Customers to enjoy better experience with MQI through new software solution<\/h4>\n

Barbados<\/em> \u2013 Customers of McEnearney Quality Inc. (MQI<\/strong>) can look forward to improved and more responsive communications when having their vehicles serviced thanks to a new software system installed recently\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Fair Trading Commission has new board<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 A NEW BOARD has been appointed to the Fair Trading Commission, effective Friday, July 10, 2015 until July 2018\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

ON THE LEFT: Marketers looking for what works best<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 TWITTER,\u00a0YOUTUBE\u00a0and\u00a0LinkedIn\u00a0hold the top spots for future plans. A significant 66 per cent of marketers plan on increasing their use of these social networks\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

THE ISSUE: Media of choice for most<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 A LARGE NUMBER of Barbadian businesses have a\u00a0Facebook\u00a0page. In fact, many of them have a dedicated space on this social media network but do not own a website\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Is Technology Holding a Grip On Our Children<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 Technology has become a vital part of our society. Whether you are watching television, making a call or using the internet; we use technology every day, but what effect is it having on us\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel Grenada Announces New Prepaid Voice Plan<\/h4>\n

Grenada <\/em>\u2013 Digicel Grenada has launched its new amazing value \u201cDigicel ZERO\u201d prepaid rate plan\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Dangerous duality in digital experience design<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 A sparkling, voluptuous body, sitting on beautiful wheels with a deep, throaty growl emanating from the tailpipe\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

LIME Ja continues to grow mobile sub base<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 THE LIME Jamaica branded telecom continued to gain mobile subscribers at double-digit levels up to its first-quarter ending June 2015, according to its regional telecom parent Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC)\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Paulwell to address telecommunications conference in Miami<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Minister of Science Technology, Energy and Mining, Phillip Paulwell, will deliver an address at the ministerial panel of the 31st annual telecommunications conference in Miami, USA, next week\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

CCJ ruling may have implications for telecoms companies in the region<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 A ruling this week by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) may have implications on how telecommunications companies dictate to their customers about what they can do with their internet service, according to local tech expert Russell Williams\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Thursday, 23 July 2015<\/h3>\n

100 Staff Take BTC Severance<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 SOME 100 workers at BTC have accepted voluntary separation employee packages as a part of BTC\u2019s downsizing operation, Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union President Bernard Evans said yesterday\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

C&W Unveils the \u2018new\u2019 FLOW and Creates History in Barbados<\/h4>\n

Barbados<\/em> \u2013 Telecoms history was made in Barbados today as Cable & Wireless Communications (C&W) officially launched its retail brand, Flow, for its newly combined consumer group\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

US$160 million CW investment for Barbados<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 CABLE and Wireless (CW) is investing US$160M in Barbados as the company rolls out its new retail brand Flow on the island as part of its merger with Columbus Communications. Barbados is the first country to launch the newly combined retail brand. Niall Sheehy, Country Manager of the \u201cnew\u201d Flow, revealed a number of significant developments for Barbados\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

The future is technology in the hands of our youth<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 If we need evidence that Jamaicans can be trained to manage, develop, and handle any and all technologies, we just have to look how easily Jamaicans, especially the young, have been able to use the various types of cellular phones, tablets, and computers with which they have been provided\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

CWC reports US$583 million revenue<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 CABLE and Wireless Communications (CWC) has reported Group revenue of US$583 million, an increase of four percent in the first quarter of the 2015 financial year\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

To\u00a0Delete or Not Delete<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 FOR the wrong reasons, a North American company called Avid Life Media Inc. has featured recently in the technology news\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Ali keeping you connected Free of charge<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 IN this age of technology, when the importance of staying connected can not be overlooked, businessman Mazuree Colin Ali has made it easier for us to do so \u2014 free of charge\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Maverick\u2019 helps visually impaired<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 History was made yesterday at the National Library and Information System (NALIS), Port-of- Spain, as the Maverick Money Reader was launched\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Minister assures elderly: No devil links in biometric card<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 People and Social Development Minister Christine Newallo-Hosein has sought to dispel fears, particularly among the elderly, that her ministry\u2019s biometric card is not associated with the devil\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

TSTT working to repair cables damaged by seismic activity<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 TSTT has said it is working to resolve Internet connection problems after its submarine fibre optic cables, located up the Caribbean between St Vincent and Grenada, were damaged\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

TT taps into Singapore<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 IN an effort to continue its cooperation with the Government of Singapore in the area of e-service delivery and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has extended the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2008 for an additional five year period\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Friday, 24 July 2015<\/h3>\n

Cable and Wireless pushing work-from-home concept<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 AS Jamaican employees and employers increasingly seek greater work flexibility, Cable & Wireless (C&W) Business Solutions has intensified its drive to push the concept of a mobile workforce via use of the internet\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Court Tosses Flow Lawsuit To Bar Latty From Digicel Job<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 The Supreme Court has thrown out an application by Columbus Communications, which trades as Flow, to bar Digicel Jamaica from employing former Managing Director Sean Latty for at least nine months\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel Educating Customers<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 THE EDITOR, Sir: I write in response to letter from Pauline Peart that appeared in The Gleaner on Thursday, July, 23, 2015 regarding data charges taken from her account balance… more<\/a><\/p>\n

Incubator Boosts BPO Boom<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 THE Montego Bay Business Process Outsourcing incubator now boasts an occupancy rate of 50 per cent, helping to boost an already fast-growing sector\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Flow adds FEVA TV to channel line-up<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Caribbean telecoms provider Flow, a Cable and Wireless Communications brand, has added the channel FEVA TV to its basic package, available at no extra cost in eight markets across the region\u2026. more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel St. Kitts Has a New Home<\/h4>\n

Saint Kitts and Nevis <\/em>\u2013 The Circus, Basseterre branch of Digicel\u2019s retail store has opened new doors to its existing and prospective customers in St. Kitts. The former DotCom location on Princes Street is the temporary home of the telecommunications family effective immediately\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel On Another Cash Binge<\/h4>\n

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines <\/em>\u2013 Telecommunications service provider Digicel is at it again. They are giving away cash, and loads of it\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

First Winners In LIME Upgrade Promotion<\/h4>\n

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines<\/em> \u2013 Nicole Byron and Percy Lampkin are the first two weekly winners in LIME\u2019s \u2018Summer Upgrade Campaign\u2019, after texting #SUMA to 6263\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

…Grocery says sorry after online backlash<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Super Quality grocery, the lo\u00adca\u00adtion for day three of the No Rowley campaign, has apolo\u00adgised to its customers in the wake of \u201cne\u00adgative feedback\u201d\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

New contact centre to be opened in Trinidad<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 iQor, a global provider of business process outsourcing and product support services with 32,000 employees in 17 countries, will open its newest contact centre in Trinidad and Tobago in September 2015\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Saturday, 25 July 2015<\/h3>\n

Going up!<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC), a major player in the Caribbean telecommunications market, is reporting a four per cent growth in group revenue to US$583 million for the first quarter of its current financial year which began on April 1\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Region must refocus<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 There is a call for the Caribbean to shift its policymaking efforts to create and retain wealth\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Free\u00a0Calls For LIME Customers<\/h4>\n

Saint Lucia <\/em>\u2013 LIME prepaid mobile customers can now talk for hours, for free, with the relaunch of this free talk campaign! \u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Sunday, 26 July 2015<\/h3>\n

Curacao children to take up Android training and App development challenge<\/h4>\n

Curacao<\/em> \u2013\u00a0Seeking to take its place among the recognized global list of countries with technologically smart kids, the Dutch Caribbean Island of Curacao is set to become the first country in the Netherlands Antilles to benefit from an Android training program for children between the ages of seven and twelve… more<\/a><\/p>\n

Cell\u00a0Phones Etiquette And A Silent Family Gathering<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 It was a very surreal moment; I was on my cell phone messaging friends in Guyana. I looked around the living room; the two-year-old plus granddaughter was on her iPhone playing games\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

OLPF project was wasting taxpayers\u2019 money \u2013 Minister of State<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 The One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project, launched under the People\u2019s Progressive Party\/Civic (PPP\/C) administration, was wasting taxpayers\u2019 money, said Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, yesterday\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel’s O’Brien to receive UWI honorary law degree<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Denis O\u2019Brien, the chairman of telecom firm Digicel, is to receive an honorary law degree from the University of the West Indies (UWI) within the coming months\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

LIME finally reactivates customer’s lost credit<\/h4>\n

Jamaica<\/em> \u2013 Dear Claudienne, I had approximately $2,700 LIME credit up to December 30, 2014. I received a LIME text message at 12:54 a.m. on December 31, 2014 stating: “Your account state is No Credit (S1)…” more<\/a><\/p>\n

Schools Ponder Cell Phone Policy!<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 With more and more students turning up at schools with cellular phones, administrators are mulling a unified position around the use of these devices amid concern for the safety of students and the possible negative issues related to the use of phones in schools\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Image credits: \u00a0journalismthatmatters<\/a> (flickr); \u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>; \u00a0The Eleutheran<\/a>; \u00a0Marketing Magazine<\/a>; \u00a0Flow<\/a>; \u00a0Wikipedia<\/a><\/em>
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