A roundup of the ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 15 October to Sunday 21 October 2012.
Monday, 15 October 2012
Cable: ’18 Years Of Neglect’ Sparks TV Rise Demand
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas says “18 years of neglect” forced it to seek a 27 per cent price increase for its basic cable TV product, a senior executive telling Tribu
ne Business it had “no choice” if it was to remain compliant with regulatory benchmarks… more
Digicel Continues Support for Media Association of Grenada
Grenada – For the fourth year running, Media practitioners in Grenada are being assured of Digicel’s commitment and support for their work in informing the people of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique… more
GBTI brings sophisticated banking to Lethem with new branch
Guyana – The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) has relocated and upgraded its Lethem branch to a standard that makes financial transactions in Region Nine easy, efficient and high-tech… more
New online Library program expected to enhance reading
St. Kitts & Nevis – The Nevis Library Services in collaboration with the Nevis Island Administration and EBSCO Publishing hosted an educational seminar on Tuesday 9th October 2012 where a new library website was introduced to the students on Nevis… more
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
Columbus Communications Inc. Improves Customer Experience with Launch of Cerillion CRM & Billing Solution
Regional – Cerillion Technologies, an innovative provider of next generation customer management systems, today announced the completed implementation of its convergent CRM and Billing solution for Columbus Communications Inc. … more
Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Cable Decision In 3 Months
Bahamas – Stephen Bereaux, the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) director of policy and regulation, said the regulator hoped to have a decision on the fee increases proposed by Cable Bahamas three months from the close of its public consultative process, as consumers last night again voiced their opposition to the proposed fee increase… more
Government’s BTC Approach ‘Wrong-Headed’
Bahamas – The Bahamas Government is absolutely right to want Bahamians to own a larger share of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), but their approach is wrong-headed and will cost this country in cash, in economic competitiveness and in reputation… more
Outrage continues at cable increase
Bahamas – Nearly 50 people at a town hall meeting expressed outrage last night at the proposed 27 percent rate increase in the super basic cable package offered by Cable Bahamas Limited (CBL)… more
Plans To Put Registrar General’s Dept. Online
Bahamas – The Attorney General said the Government wanted the Registrar General’s Department to match leading ‘ease of business’ jurisdictions such as Singapore, adding that plans to make key services completely electronic would bring it “into the 21st century”… more
Olympics success proves sweet for LIME
Jamaica – Telecoms giant LIME Jamaica says it is reaping a windfall from the success of Jamaican athletes at the London Olympic Games in August, boasting more than 100,000 new subscribers in less than 100 days, a first in its history… more
Thursday, 18 October 2012
Cable Urged To Reduce Costs Before Fee Rises
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas has been urged by consumers to reduce its internal costs before seeking a 27 per cent increase in the price of its basic cable TV service… more
URCA To Launch Consumer Council
Bahamas – THE Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) will launch a public consultation on consumer protection and rights regulations later this year, its director of policy and regulation, adding that it also planned to form a Consumer Advisory Council… more
Information Communication and Technology Road Show goes to San Ignacio
Belize – The Ministry of Energy, Science & Technology, and Public Utilities, in partnership with the Caribbean Telecommunication Union recently held a successful road show in San Ignacio Town… more
Talk2Rep Opens World Class Contact Center in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic – Talk2Rep officially opened a new contact center in the Dominican Republic, headquartered in the Pellerano & Herrera building in the capital city of Santo Domingo… more
Trinidad and Tobago’s Telecoms Authority mission for Guyana
Guyana – Guyana is tapping into the expertise and experience Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) as the South American nation prepares to implement its Broadcasting Act, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported… more
Census: Majority Of Homes Still Without Computer, Internet Access
Jamaica – Statistics from the 2011 Population and Housing Census have shown that a majority of Jamaican households are still without computers and internet access… more
Company taking V.I. workers online
US Virgin Islands – The V.I. Next Generation Network board on Wednesday heard from one of the companies working to find telecommuting jobs for Virgin Islanders… more
Friday, 19 October 2012
Providers in close race to launch 4G
Antigua & Barbuda – The two main providers in the telecommunications market here are in a tight race to become the first to launch 4G LTE technology in Antigua and Barbuda… more
‘Can URCA Approve Cable’s 27% Price Rise In Freeport?’
Bahamas – Questions were yesterday raised over whether the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) could approve a 27 per cent rise in Cable Bahamas’ SuperBasic price in Freeport, given that a 2011 Supreme Court ruling found the regulator could not levy fees on the company’s Internet earnings in that city… more
Digicel Group Limited Completes US$1.5 Billion Corporate Bond Offering
Jamaica – Digicel Group Limited (“DGL”) today announced it has retired in full its outstanding 91/8% / 97/8% Senior Toggle Notes due 2015 and its outstanding 87/8% Senior Notes due 2015… more
Digicel To Stay Put In El Salvador
Jamaica – Digicel Group has changed gears and is now prepared to continue doing business in El Salvador after an unyielding regulator twice scuttled plans to sell its holdings to America Movil subsidiary, Claro… more
LIME to pay dividend on preference shares
Jamaica – LIME, the Caribbean business of Cable & Wireless Communications, has announced that by Round Robin Resolution, the Jamaica Telephone Company has approved a resolution related to dividend on preference shares… more
New IP video service planned for Caribbean
Regional – Columbus Communications, one of the largest MSOs in the Caribbean, has started preparing to launch a new hybrid IP video service in a number of countries in the region, which will offer IP-delivered video-on-demand and TV Everywhere services… more
Reporters Without Borders: Probe leak of phone records (with CNC3 video)
Trinidad & Tobago – Reporters Without Borders is calling for an independent commission of enquiry into the leak of T&T Guardian reporter Anika Gumbs-Sandiford’s personal phone records, which were illegally passed to the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA)… more
Saturday, 20 October 2012
Free-to-air TV stations sued
Jamaica – Jamaica’s two free-to-air television stations have been hit with a lawsuit that could have long-term implications for how they deal with advertising. Attorney-at-law Maurice Tomlinson has brought the action because both stations have refused to air an advertisement that promotes tolerance for homosexuals… more
Digicel appeals $50,000 Panama fine
Panama – Digicel, the mobile phone group controlled by Denis O’Brien, has been fined $50,000 in Panama for imposing charges on customers who wanted to change mobile phone networks… more
First mobile plan that pays its customers launched in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico – Solavei, a social network ranked first in its category as well as a commercial platform, will be presenting its unlimited 4G national voice, text and data mobile phone service plan for residents of Puerto Rico… more
OAS demonstrates operation of new mobile cyber crisis response lab
USA – The Organization of American States (OAS) demonstrated on Friday before numerous representatives of member states at its headquarters in Washington, DC, the operation of a new mobile simulation lab, designed to enable countries to respond to a cyber security crisis… more
Sunday, 21 October 2012
Telecoms Tax Clobbers Landline Usage, Says Flow
Jamaica – Michele English, president of Flow Jamaica, says landline usage has fallen following the application of new surcharges in July 2012 on local and international calls… more
Image credit: Gary Thomson (flickr); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
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