A roundup of the ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 18 June to Sunday 24 June 2012.
Monday, 18 June 2012
BTC: No more large disruptions in phone services
Bahamas – After thousands of cellular customers in New Providence experienced disruptions in phone services last Friday, Marlon Johnson, vice president of brand and communications at the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), said customers won’t see disruptions of that scale anymore… more
Digicel challenges OUR powers to reduce rates
Jamaica – Digicel has asked the Supreme Court the review the law which granted the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), powers to reduce interconnection rates, which could bring into question, the long term viability of LIME’s recent cell call rate reduction… more
Council Ministers to Take Decision on TELEM — UTS or Digicel
Sint Maarten – The Council of Ministers will soon be taking a decision on how they intend to move forward with TELEM Group of Companies… more
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
LIME making changes to the price structure for data streaming
Anguilla – LIME has announced that it will be making a change to its pricing structure for data streaming of video, audio and games via mobile devices to bring the company more inline with global industry standards… more
BTC Blows It Big Time
Bahamas – BTC will consider various options in a bid to compensate customers that were affected by the nation-wide disruption in service, which CEO Geoff Houston said was the worst crash of his 25 years in the industry… more
Businesses sound off on BTC blackout
Bahamas – The business community is sounding off over blackouts and inconsistent service from the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC)… more
Houston: Network outage was significant
Bahamas – The blackout yesterday morning that left virtually the entire country without telephone access was an eye-opener for the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC). The company’s CEO admitted the failure was one of the biggest he has ever seen… more
Mass failure of BTC system
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has launched an internal investigation into the cause of a nationwide system outage that disrupted services to more than 300,000 mobile, landline and broadband customers yesterday, company officials said… more
Business Byte: LIME opens new flagship retail shop
Dominica – A historic day for LIME Dominica as the company opened its new modern, stylish flagship retail store to the Dominican public today. The customers had been anticipating the opening of the store for some time and for the hundreds who experienced the transformation it was well worth the wait… more
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
BTC: Sabotage not ruled out in mass failure
Bahamas – In the wake of vast disruptions, the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) managed to fully restore its mobile and fixed line networks yesterday afternoon… more
PM stands firm against CWC
Bahamas – Prime Minister Perry Christie said yesterday a mass disruption in communications services in the country on Monday only proved why the deal to sell the majority interest of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) to Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) should not have happened… more
LIME defends OUR rate cut
Jamaica – LIME Jamaica will defend its interests at every turn, the telecommunications firm said, in light of recent developments that could spell huge losses for the company… more
Digicel Opens State Of The Art Store On North Caicos
Turks & Caicos Islands – Digicel TCI continues to extend its retail footprint with the opening of a brand new state of the art retail store in Bottle Creek on North Caicos… more
Thursday, 21 June 2012
Cable and Wireless under fire in Senate
Bahamas – Charging that Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) is “raping” Bahamians with its cell fees, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Senator Frank Smith yesterday described the country’s telecommunications services as the “worst ever”… more
LIME to lay off “a few” workers
Dominica – Telecommunications giant LIME (formerly Cable and Wireless) is downplaying reports that the company is about to lay off some of its employees… more
CARICOM open for business: pushing projects for Connect the Americas Summit
Guyana – The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), in preparing for the one of its kind Connect the Americas Summit, set for Panama in July, is sending a strong and clear message to private sector and investment organizations that they are ready with viable, creative, cross-cutting regional and national development projects for funding… more
Region gearing for ICT summit in Panama next month
Guyana – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries are fine tuning their positions ahead of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) summit to be held in Panama next month… more
BCJ warns broadcasters about compliance
Jamaica – The Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica (BCJ) held a meeting with the heads of television, radio and cable entities on Tuesday, to discuss the Commission’s concerns about an increasing number of breaches in content standards, copyright compliance, and service coverage… more
Digicel’s rate hearing starts Monday
Jamaica – Digicel will on Monday begin arguing for a Judicial Review of the Telecommunications Act that grants the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) powers to reduce interconnection rates… more
Digicel, OUR back in court today
Jamaica – Digicel and the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) return to court today to present further arguments on the regulator’s determination of interim mobile termination rates… more
LIME gives free Internet to primary schools
Jamaica – LIME Jamaica Foundation has partnered with the Ministry of Education to provide 300 primary schools across the island with free Internet service… more
Friday, 22 June 2012
BTC Security Tapes Go Missing
Bahamas – Raising suspicions that the incident was sabotage, surveillance footage related to the investigation into the massive meltdown at the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has “gone missing”, according to company sources and reported by a local newspaper… more
BTC Unveils $3 Million Goodwill Package
Bahamas – BTC announced a comprehensive package today as a goodwill gesture that will add minutes, data or talk time for every customer following the mass interruption that crippled the company’s landline, cell and broadband services Monday… more
FLOW owners buy into B’dos telecoms market
Barbados – Barbados-based company Columbus International Inc, which provides digital cable TV in Trinidad through its FLOW operations, is acquiring the shares of Antilles Crossing (Barbados) IBC Inc and Antilles Crossing Holding Company (St Lucia) Ltd from Caribbean Fibre Holdings, LP… more
DPSU to investigate LIME redundancies
Dominica – The Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU), the union representing staff of telecoms giant Lime Dominica limited (formerly Cable and Wireless) says it will investigate the circumstances that have led to a decision to make several positions at the company redundant… more
CARICOM prepares for Connect the Americas Summit
Guyana – As the Caribbean gears up for one of the biggest summits on information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the Americas – Connect the America Summit — in July 2012, the CARICOM Secretariat is now spearheading the third preparatory meeting in Barbados, on Tuesday, to cement the region’s plans for participation in that summit… more
Guyana’s phone company loses US$2 million to vandalism
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) on Friday said that so far for the year it has lost more than US$2 million alone in vandalized cables… more
Digicel Drops Rates
Jamaica – A battle of low prices is now being waged in the telecommunications sector with market leaders Digicel today set to unveil a plan which will cost 10 cents per minute less than the lowest rates offered by LIME… more
Digicel goes $2.89 – Slashes rates by more than two-thirds
Jamaica – Digicel Jamaica has reduced mobile phone rates by more than two-thirds to $2.89 a minute, undercutting the $2.9- a-minute plan launched by rival LIME a week ago… more
DIGICEL painting the streets red
Jamaica – Scores of customer representatives from telecommunications company Digicel, have flooded the streets of the Corporate Area to promote the company’s latest initiative to slash their phone rates… more
Digital Jam 2.0 Spells Hope For Youths
Jamaica – Young Jamaicans looking to be entrepreneurs in the virtual economy will be able to show their skills and learn from industry bigwigs at the end of the month… more
LIME’s Hosted Email Improves Communication – JCF Director
Jamaica – Two years ago, Angela Patterson was unable to access her Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) emails on her smartphone… more
Media watchdog bares teeth at illegal content
Jamaica – The Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica (BCJ) says it will return to taking strong action against media houses that transmit illegal or inappropriate content… more
Mobile war heats up
Jamaica – A mobile war between mobile companies Digicel and Lime is set to intensify in the next few hours… more
Saturday, 23 June 2012
Cable and Wireless Monopoly Ends
Antigua & Barbuda – Cable & Wireless’ 25 year monopoly license on international direct dial telephone calls has ended… more
300 schools to get free Internet service from LIME
Jamaica – An estimated 200,000 students at 300 primary schools across the island are expected to benefit from free Internet access through a partnership between the LIME Foundation and the Ministry of Education… more
Digicel’s rate hearing starts Monday
Jamaica – Digicel will on Monday begin arguing for a Judicial Review of the Telecommunications Act that grants the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) powers to reduce interconnection rates… more
Jamaica to implement mobile money system
Jamaica – Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Anthony Hylton, said the government of Jamaica is working to implement a system called ‘mobile money’, which will allow customers to carry out monetary transactions using their mobile phones… more
Phone Fight – Local Telecoms Battle Heats Up
Jamaica – Telecommunications companies LIME and Digicel have intensified their rivalry as they compete for customers… more
Sunday, 24 June 2012
ICT training for 200 young people in St James
Jamaica – Some 200 young persons in St. James are currently undergoing training for certification in Information Communication Technology (ICT), and will be later employed at Montego Bay-based call centre, Global Gateway Solutions… more
Make Money From The Internet
Jamaica – The World Bank is teaming up with the Government to open up the virtual world to Jamaicans with millions of dollars to be made… more
TelEm Group says latest restructuring measures painful but necessary
Sint Maarten – On Wednesday, June 20, 2012, TelEm Group officially informed personnel about the placement of staff in the restructured Sint Maarten Telecommunication Operation Company N.V. (SMTOC)… more
Image credit: News, RambergMediaImages (flickr). Logos: BTC (The Eleutheran), ITU; Flow; Digital Jam 2.0.
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