This is a roundup of the ICT/technology news across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 31 October to Sunday 6 November 2011.
Monday, 31 October 2011
Partial cell phone driving ban proposed
Cayman Islands – After it was left out of the original draft of the Cayman Islands Traffic Bill early this year, it seems at least a partial ban on using a cell phone while driving has been put back into the legislation… more
Lightning strike caused BlackBerry outage – Digicel
Guyana – Digicel Guyana says the recent connectivity issues which affected its Blackberry service were the result of a lightning strike on a satellite connection…. more
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
idoodlesoftware inc. Partners With Columbus Communications Inc. to Architect A Digital Learning Strategy With Caribbean Governments
Canada – idoodlesoftware inc., an educations oftware company offering innovative solutions to bridge the gap between traditional and digital learning, announced that it has partnered with Columbus Communications Inc to facilitate a world class eLearning strategy which will position the Caribbean region as the epicenter of digital learning… more
Guyana’s state radio, TV to give political parties more airtime
Guyana – Opposition political parties look set to get slightly more air-time on the state-owned radio and television stations, after they rejected a five-minute per week offer by the National Communications Network (NCN)… more
CTU developing Montserrat’s national ICT plan
Montserrat – Two officials from the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) are on island this week to begin preliminary work on Montserrat’s national ICT policy, strategy and implementation plan… more
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Digicel re-introduces Blackberry App World
Guyana – The application distribution service which is provided by Research in Motion (RIM) – the makers of BlackBerry – was unavailable in Guyana for some time, but the service has now been restored by RIM… more
Digicel’s cloud rolls over western Jamaica
Jamaica – Business owners and their information communication technology (ICT) managers from across western Jamaica and Ocho Rios were last week exposed to firsthand knowledge of Cloud Telephony – the latest technology suite being offered to the business community… more
The mobile way to pay
Jamaica – Jamaican-based transaction processing company Advanced Integrated Systems (AIS) has partnered with US-based mobile payments MOBIbucks to deliver a mobile money platform in Jamaica and the Caribbean… more
Vistaprint commits to Jamaica with US$25-m facility
Jamaica – Vistaprint Jamaica Limited will, by the middle of 2012, be looking to consolidate its operations into a newly built US$25-million, 92,000-square-foot facility in the nascent Barnett Technology Park in Montego Bay… more
Thursday, 3 November 2011
BTC: New smartphone offers coming with 4G
Bahamas – If you are considering investing in a smartphone to take advantage of 4G service once it launches in key markets this year, the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) is saying you may want to wait a few weeks to see what it’s about to roll out… more
Cable & Wireless Notes Smartphone Boost
Bahamas – Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) has announced a rise in profits, with growing smartphone usage in international markets having boosted its income… more
Digicel weighs options after court orders halt to long distance service
Bermuda – After weeks of legal wrangling, the Jamaica-based Digicel is bracing for the financial fallout from the Bermuda Supreme Court’s decision late last week that it had to cease providing Bermudeans access to its internet-based long-distance service… more
13,000 more laptops coming from China
Guyana – The Government’s One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) Programme is progressing smoothly and according to sources, another 13,000 are being loaded in China with its destination being Guyana… more
Hopeton Dunn re-appointed Broadcasting Commission chair
Jamaica – PROFESSOR Hopeton Dunn has been re-appointed chairman of the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica (BCJ) for another five-year term… more
Cable & Wireless Stock Jumps as Revenue Exceeds Estimates
USA – Cable & Wireless Communications Plc (CWC) rose the most in 8 1/2 years in London trading as growth at the U.K. phone company’s Caribbean and Macau units pushed increases in fiscal first-half sales and earnings… more
Friday, 4 November 2011
‘High Potential’ BTC Accounts for 100% of LIME Rise
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) was almost entirely responsible for the revenue and gross margin increases generated by Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) Caribbean businesses during the six months to end-September 2011, it was revealed yesterday, producing $37 million in operating income and a $177 million top-line… more
Digicel weighs options after court in Bermuda orders halt to long distance service
Bermuda – After weeks of legal wrangling, the Jamaica-based cellphone company Digicel is bracing for the financial fallout from the Bermuda Supreme Court’s decision late last week that it had to cease providing Bermudeans access to its Internet-based long-distance service… more
Cable & Wireless’s Caribbean business stabilises
United Kingdom – Cable & Wireless Communications has cheered shareholders as it reported its Caribbean business had stabilised and smartphone usage was booming… more
Saturday, 5 November 2011
BlackBerry ‘leading’ smartphone charge
Trinidad and Tobago – The highest rate of penetration for BlackBerry Messenger users is in the Caribbean and Latin America, according to RIM’s carrier relationship marketing manager for the region, Angela Friar… more
Sunday, 6 November 2011
LIME bleeds $1.3 billion in 2Q, but…
Jamaica – TELECOMMUNCIATIONS provider LIME Jamaica reported a net loss of $1.3 billion over the second quarter ending September 30, 2011, but found a silver lining in a 11 per cent increase in mobile revenues and a three per cent growth in its postpaid mobile subscriber base… more
Data Protection Act in ‘trouble’
Trinidad & Tobago – The Data Protection Act is unconstitutional, former temporary High Court Judge Gregory Delzin has said… more
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