{"id":84749,"date":"2016-08-01T06:30:28","date_gmt":"2016-08-01T11:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ict-pulse.com\/?p=84749"},"modified":"2017-04-07T15:14:19","modified_gmt":"2017-04-07T20:14:19","slug":"roundup-week-31-july-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2016\/08\/roundup-week-31-july-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Roundup: for the week ending 31 July 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

A roundup of the latest ICT\/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 25 July to Sunday 31 July 2016.<\/em><\/p>\n

\nMonday, 25 July 2016<\/h3>\n

BTC\u2008\u2018carving\u00a0out\u2019 special business, government network<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Chris Mayer, vice-president of customer experience, business and government at the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), says the telco is \u201ccarving out\u201d a network designed especially for business and government clients\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

CWC\u2008Bahamas\u00a0$329M revenue in 2016<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) earned $329 million in revenue for Cable and\u2008Wireless Communications (CWC) \u2014 just under 14 percent of CWC\u2019s\u2008revenue for the year ending March 30, 2016. CWC\u2008owns 49 percent of BTC\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Sir Franklyn Urges Cable To Meet The \u2018Highest Standards\u2019<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Sir Franklyn Wilson has urged Cable Bahamas to \u201cmeet the highest standards of transparency and accountability\u201d following the issuance of its new mobile licence\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

URCA\u00a0on national roaming obligation for NewCo, BTC<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) recently established its final determination and order for the introduction of a uni-directional national roaming obligation, which would allow NewCo Limited 2015 (NewCo) \u2013 the second cellular mobile provider \u2013 to use the Bahamas Telecommunications Company\u2019s (BTC) equipment to provide cellular mobile services for up to 24 months\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

URCA Orders \u2018Middle Ground\u2019 On Newco\u2019s BTC Roaming Period<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Regulators have ordered a \u2018middle ground\u2019 compromise on how long NewCo2015 can use the Bahamas Telecommunications Company\u2019s (BTC) network to deliver its own mobile services, stipulating a 24-month time period\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

How I Left A 12-Year Career In Silicon Valley To Work On A Beach In Belize<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 Three months ago, I worked in San Francisco as a marketing leader for a unicorn startup. I earned a salary that let me do, eat, and buy whatever I wanted\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Cabinet to review OCG report on Caricel<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 CABINET is expected to view a report from the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) on the granting of telecommunications licences to Symbiote Investments Limited when it meets at Jamaica House today\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Caricel hits back at OCG\u2019s call for revocation of its telecom licences<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Symbiote Investments says that the report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday by the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) has not raised any new material that should cause the Government to take away its telecommunication licences\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Marketing Strategies Today: How to use predictive analytics with big data to profit<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Data management is highly prioritized in many businesses. Predictive analytics has been a practice used by many businesses to help them determine the future\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Three Charged In Florida With Participating In Caribbean Cell Phone Fraud Scheme<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Criminal charges were unsealed on Friday against multiple defendants relating to their participation in a sophisticated global cell phone fraud scheme, involving the takeover or compromise of cell phone customers\u2019 accounts and the \u201ccloning\u201d of their phones to make fraudulent international calls to Cuba, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Bitcoin Use Surges 33% a Month in Caribbean Amid Bank Flight<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 In a backdrop of rising exodus by banks in the Caribbean region, Bitt, the largest Bitcoin<\/a> exchange by volume in the region witnessed a \u201c33% increase in users each month since February.\u201d \u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

CABLE RATES RISE<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Days after an uproar from customers about a breakdown in their FLOW cable service comes word from the company that effective September 1, its customers will see a 6.3 per cent increase in their residential cable packages\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Tuesday, 26 July 2016<\/h3>\n

Cable To \u2018Devastate\u2019 BTC Via Mobile Win<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Cable Bahamas could \u201cdevastate\u201d the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) if its mobile market share projections come true, even though the latter recorded a 26 per cent profit rise in its last financial year\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

URCA issues ruling on BTC\/NewCo national roaming pact<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Bahamian regulator the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) has issued its final determination on whether cellular incumbent the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) should provide national roaming to new licensee NewCo during the latter\u2019s rollout period\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Flag-map_of_JamaicaJamaica could revoke Caricel mobile licence award<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Jamaica’s contractor general Dirk Harrison has advised the minister of science, energy and technology Andrew Wheatley not to sign the domestic mobile licence granted to Symbiote Investments in May, reports the Jamaica Gleaner\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Implanted mobile phones expected by 2023<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Imagine answering your mobile device by tweaking your ear, blinking your right eye, raising your left hand or doing the \u2018Scooby Doo\u2019 dance\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Flow to raise cable rates<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 LOCAL cable and internet provider Flow yesterday announced of an increase in its Residential Cable TV packages, effective September 1… more<\/a><\/p>\n

ICT investment as a driver of growth of SME businesses<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 WITH Trinidad and Tobago still in recessionary mode, business owners, and their workers are understandably worried about the future. While some businesses decided to retrench workers to reduce expenses, this has the effect of also reducing production, which would erode revenues\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Wednesday, 27 July 2016<\/h3>\n

Antigua-Barbuda To Revive Online Gaming Dispute Negotiations With US<\/h4>\n

Antigua and Barbuda<\/em> \u2013 In a national broadcast on Monday night, the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, announced that negotiations will be recommenced as soon as possible with relevant US agencies in an attempt to resolve the dispute with the United States over online gaming\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Cable Bahamas allowed to roam on BTC network for 2 years<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority of the Bahamas has ordered the incumbent operator Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) to provide national roaming to the country’s new mobile operator until 2018, when it must complete its own network infrastructure\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Cable Charges BTC Recovering \u2018Seven Times\u2019 Network Cost<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Cable Bahamas has charged that its Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) rival recovers more than \u201cseven times\u2019\u201d the costs it incurs on terminating fixed-line calls to its mobile subscribers at peak hours\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

URCA Warned Over \u2018Maximum Damage\u2019<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 The Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority (URCA) is threatening to \u201cinflict maximum damage\u201d on the now-liberalising mobile market via a major change to its regulatory approach on retail pricing\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

In the Mek Mi Rich case, BTL to pay cost of court of almost $59,000<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 In February, the Supreme Court found that Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) had pirated the concept of the SMS lottery texting game Mek Mi Rich from a proposal made to the company by Corozal businessman Curtis Swasey and the court awarded Swasey $25,000 in damages, but what was left was for the court to determine the cost of court that BTL must pay Swasey\u2019s attorneys, Kareem Musa and Wayne Piper\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Flow Jamaica Applies For Lte Spectrum For High Speed Internet<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Cable & Wireless Jamaica, which trades as FLOW, invested $8.8 billion in its operations in year ending March 2016, with plans to add a higher-speed LTE mobile Internet to its arsenal\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Quality Works finds sweet spot in software testing<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 QualityWorks Consulting Group LLC, a software test consultancy firm based in Los Angeles, which expanded operations to Kingston, Jamaica, in 2015 from its home base in Los Angeles, has added clients in the United States, UK, and Jamaica in one year since hitting the outsourcing market. Founder Stacy Kirk is of Jamaican parentage\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Trinidad_and_TobagoCuffie calls for lower internet rates<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Communications and Public Administration Minister Maxie Cuffie wants internet service providers to lower their rates\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago on the increasing rates for subscription television.<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (the Authority) has noted recent media publications and commentaries with regard to increasing rates for subscription television (pay TV) by local providers and the corresponding concerns expressed by consumers on the proposed rate increases\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

TSTT posts $316m loss under new chairman<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 MAJORITY State-owned telecoms provider TSTT has posted an after-tax loss of $316 million for its fiscal year ended March 31, 2016, chairman Emile Elias said in a two-page news advertisement yesterday\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

INNOVATIVE TELEPHONE RATES TO INCREASE ON AUGUST 1; COMPANY ANNOUNCES NEW CEO<\/h4>\n

United States Virgin Islands <\/em>\u2013 Innovative, which is now owned by ATN International, the company that operates as Choice Communications in the territory, announced Tuesday that its telephone rates would increase come August 1\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Thursday, 28 July 2016<\/h3>\n

BTC to Participate in 32nd Annual CANTO Conference<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 The Bahamas Telecommunications Company Limited (BTC) will participate in the 32nd annual Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organizations\u2019 (CANTO) Conference and Trade Show Exhibition\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

TECH POTENTIAL<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 Barbados has the potential to become a leader in the development of apps and other technological devices, but there is still some way to go\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

BTL Compensation Award Update<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 The Government of Belize (GOB) informs that a dispute has arisen between the Government and the Ashcroft Alliance over the recent BTL compensation award handed down by the Permanent Court of Arbitration\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

CCJ hears currency dispute matter over arbitration award<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 The Ashcroft Alliance wants half of the outstanding arbitration settlement award for the nationalization of Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) in U.S. dollars, but the Government of Belize, which is also challenging some aspects of the award, says that even if they are ordered to so pay they cannot do so because \u201cno money no deh\u201d \u2013 greenbacks, we mean\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Curtail Gruesome Crime-Scene Images On Social Media – Gordon Harrison<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 We saw them after three-year-old Nevalesia Campbell tragically lost her life in her St Ann community a few weeks ago. We saw them after the reported murder-suicide at the Tax Registration Number (TRN) office in downtown Kingston a few days later\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Whatsapp Fraud? – Prosecutors Outline How Platform Was Allegedly Used In Multimillion-Dollar Crime<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 A prosecutor yesterday outlined how two officials at the Manchester Parish Council allegedly used Whatsapp, the Internet-based messaging platform, to orchestrate a fraudulent scheme that has defrauded the Government of $95 million and counting\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\"http:\/\/www.caribbeantrakker.com\/2012\/05\/cxc-touts-introduction-of-software-to-arrest-plagiarism\/cxc-logo\/\"CXC launches Green Engineering syllabus in Guyana<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) on Thursday launched its Green Engineering Syllabus in Guyana\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Tired of the brush-off, Caribbean women start $1 million loan fund<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Valrie Grant had just landed one of her biggest government contracts when she walked into the Kingston, Jamaica, bank three years ago seeking a million-dollar loan so she could seal the deal\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

St Vincent PM called on to amend cybercrime bill<\/h4>\n

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines <\/em>\u2013 International press freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Wednesday called for the revision of several clauses in a cybercrime bill currently being debated in parliament in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) that it described as extremely damaging to the free flow of news and information and to public debate\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Friday, 29 July 2016<\/h3>\n

A marriage worth reviewing<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 Telecommunications are not a luxury in the 21st century reality\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Ashcroft And GOB Back In Court<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 The Ashcroft Alliance is once again taking the government of Belize to court, this time to order them to pay 70 million dollars or half of the outstanding Arbitration settlement award, for the nationalization of BTL in US currency\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

B.T.L. Settlement Back in Court<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 Following incessant and expensive litigation over B.T.L. since 2009, the PM declared the half a billion plus final payment for the utility company a vindication and a victory for the government and people of Belize\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

G.O.B. and Ashcroft Group Back in Court Arguing B.T.L. Settlement<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 Attorneys for the Government of Belize and Dean Boyce, B.T.L. Employees Trust and Dunkeld International appeared before the Caribbean Court of Justice via teleconference this morning, for a case management hearing… more<\/a><\/p>\n

American Chamber: All hands on deck to make a Dominican digital republic<\/h4>\n

Dominican Republic <\/em>\u2013 American Chamber of Commerce vice president David Fern\u00e1ndez on Friday said to achieve Dominican Republic\u2019s digital transformation requires joint efforts with the government agencies to promote the construction of needed structures and develop public policies to digitize, by using Web-based innovative products and services\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Guyana needs a Local Content Law<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 Dear Editor, Oil has been found in Guyana and optimistically production will begin in 2020. This offers Guyana the incredible opportunity of leapfrogging beyond the annual incremental 3-5 % economic growth to annual growth rates in the double digit range\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Cable and Wireless recognized as leader in 2016 Gartner Magic Quadrant<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 C&W Business, a division of Cable & Wireless Communications, (C&W), now part of Liberty Global (LiLAC Group), is pleased to announce that for the second year in a row, it has been recognized in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS)\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Making the most of Caribbean spectrum<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Caribbean countries have found an interesting way to extract value from one invisible shared commodity\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Saturday, 30 July 2016<\/h3>\n

Ashcroft alliance seeks enforcement of Settlement Agreement at the CCJ<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 After several years of litigation between the Government of Belize and a group of companies collectively referred to as the Ashcroft alliance, a Settlement Agreement was worked out last September in Miami between Lord Michael Ashcroft and Prime Minister Dean Barrow over the government payment for the nationalization of the Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL)\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

USF Provides $430 Million for ICT Infrastructure Development in Tertiary Institutions<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 The Universal Service Fund (USF) has provided nearly $430 million in information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure development support for several tertiary institutions over the past four years\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Sunday, 31 July 2016<\/h3>\n

\"BarbadosApp Building Programme awaits Barbadian Cabinet Approval<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 Soon Barbadians will get a chance to learn how to build apps for mobile phones through specialised Government programmes\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

The CONATEL threat illegal radios<\/h4>\n

Haiti <\/em>\u2013 The Executive Body of the National Telecommunications Council (CONATEL) found that radio stations continue to broadcast without authorization in the country in contravention of the provisions of the Decree of 12 October 1977, which grants a monopoly of telecommunications services to the State\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

CONSUMER CONCERNS\u2026Telecoms liberalization; enforcement; GTT opens new front<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 The recent passage of the Telecommunications Bill in Parliament and the concomitant liberalization of the Telecoms Industry is a very important news event\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

BATV launches On Point<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Jamaica\u2019s first business channel, Business Access Television (BATV), launched its current affairs discussion programme,.. more<\/a><\/p>\n

Trial and error with Digicel Cable TV<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Dear Claudienne,<\/strong> I live in Vineyard Town, Kingston 3. Up to mid-2015 I got cable TV service from Telstar\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Prime Minister responds to RSF\u2019s concerns about Cybercrime Bill<\/h4>\n

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines <\/em>\u2013 Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has responded to concerns by the international press freedom watchdog group, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) regarding certain elements of the Cybercrime Bill now before Parliament\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Image credits: \u00a0NS Newsflash<\/a>\u00a0(flickr); \u00a0Wikimedia<\/a>; \u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>; \u00a0Caribbean Tracker<\/a>; \u00a0Wikipedia<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

__________<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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