A roundup of the ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 1 October to Sunday 7 October 2012.
Monday, 1 October 2012
Data Usage Soars After Major Mobile Upgrades
Bahamas – Customers living, working or vacationing in The Bahamas are texting more, talking less and accessing data at rates and speeds that not long ago would have been the stuff of science fiction, thanks to an 18-month, $42.8 million mobile network upgrade by BTC that has catapulted the local telecom environment ahead of many parts of the world… more
‘Now the best time to own a business’
Barbados – Thanks to the Internet, there has never been a better time to own a small or medium-sized business, says First Citizens Bank deputy chief executive officer Sharon Christopher… more
Belize Government Fights To Keep Telecoms Company
Belize – The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has ordered the Belize government to defer to a date not before December 14 the issue of the declaration of dividends of a telecommunication company in which it has controlling shares… more
No dividends issued at Telemedia meeting
Belize – Telemedia held its annual general meeting on Friday night as scheduled… more
Telemedia Chairman, Internet cheaper than coke; no joke
Belize – Earlier this year, a survey of the Caribbean indicated that Belize is amongst the countries with the slowest and most expensive internet speeds… more
After US$13.0M “cyber scandal,” the Palace, Microsoft start fresh
Dominican Republic – Presidential Communication and Information Technology Office (OPTIC) director Armando Garcia met with senior executives of Microsoft in his office, to implement technology strategies aimed at bolstering president Danilo Medina’s plans for development… more
Flow’s Tops In Corporate Social Responsibility
Jamaica – Columbus Communication Jamaica Limited, operator of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions, is this year’s recipient of the award for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), for its contribution to education, sports, arts and culture and community development… more
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
Information Commissioner on the job
Antigua & Barbuda – Despite his deafening silence over the past weeks about his appointment, the new Information Commissioner said he has been on the job familiarizing himself with his new post… more
BTC Reports 800 Percent Increase in Data Usage
Bahamas – Data usage amongst Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) customers has skyrocketed due to the company’s $42.8 million mobile network upgrade… more
GT&T commissions $40M cellular site at Orealla
Guyana – Residents of Orealla now have the opportunity to stay connected with the rest of the world. This was made possible when the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GT&T) on Saturday last commissioned a $40M cellular site in the remote Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) community… more
Minister Lauds IT Company for Investing US$23 million in Mo-bay
Jamaica – Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, has commended owners of Vistaprint Jamaica Limited, micro business products and services provider, for investing US$23 million in their new customer service centre in Montego Bay… more
Wednesday, 3 October 2012
OECS ministers to meet in Antigua
Antigua & Barbuda – Telecommunication ministers from the sub-regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) meet here on Thursday… more
BTC To Invest Millions To Secure Internet Market
Bahamas – Fresh off the heels of a $40+ million investment that netted an 800% increase in data usage following transformation of its mobile network, BTC’s CEO said the telecom company is spending another $60+ million to upgrade landline service in a bid to win loyalty from business and residential users and to create the nation’s fastest internet service… more
El Salvador Sees Digicel As ‘Price Maverick’
El Salvador – To El Salvador, Digicel Group is a ‘maverick’ that opened up price competition in the market… more
Yellow Pages Launches Bb App
Jamaica – On the heels of launching their Jamaica Yellow Pages mobile app for Android and Apple users in April, Jamaica Yellow Pages is back with their highly anticipated BlackBerry mobile app… more
Thursday, 4 October 2012
ECTEL to hold first ever meeting in Antigua
Antigua & Barbuda – Telecoms Ministers from the OECS will for the first time meet in Antigua for the 26th meeting of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) council slated for October 4th to 5th at the Grand Royal Antiguan Resort… more
BTC: 50% Client Growth Belies Bottom Ranking
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday charged that this nation’s joint last ranking on mobile Internet penetration was based on “dated” data, telling Tribune Business it had enjoyed 50 per cent subscriber growth to 30,000 mobile broadband clients over the last year… more
BTC Unveils Its Internet Upgrades
Bahamas – THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) will spend another $60 million-plus to upgrade its land-line service in a bid to win back residential users and create the fastest Internet service in the country… more
URCA investigating ‘decrease’ in BTC service quality
Bahamas – Even as the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) investigates that network outage that resulted in the loss of service to thousands of Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) customers earlier this year, it is also looking into a recent “decrease” in the quality of service offered by the telecoms company… more
Communications ministry works on information and communications policy
British Virgin Islands – As part of the benefits derived from being affiliated with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), the British Virgin Islands (BVI) will soon be working on an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Policy that will establish clear specific goals for ICT, enable national development and clarify Government policy on the use of technology… more
Puerto Rico to host global coalition to fight cybercrime
Puerto Rico – Cybercrime fighting association APWG is hosting an unprecedented summit of global authorities this fall in Puerto Rico… more
Google backs Caribbean Internet Exchange
Regional – Regional efforts to improve the quality of Internet services received a boost when global search engine giant Google, gave its support to an initiative to establish Internet Exchange Points (IXP)s across the Caribbean… more
LIME to bring 4G to St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Kitts & Nevis – Telecommunications giant, LIME, is on another pioneering move, having announced on Tuesday (Oct. 2) their intention to bring 4G network to the St. Kitts and Nevis customers before the end of this year… more
Friday, 5 October 2012
Data protection big change for news media
Cayman Islands – One effect of the Cayman Islands’ proposed data protection legislation will be that, for the first time, a formal complaints process can be used against news organisations, as well as against other public and private entities that process personal information… more
Number Portability on Track – Paulwell
Jamaica – Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, has said the Government is on track to enable number portability this financial year… more
ATM Targeted? Guyanese remanded in St.Vincent
St. Vincent & the Grenadines – Five men and two women, all from Guyana, have been remanded into custody until February 4… more
HBO Latin America and Karib Cable Reach Broadcast Agreement
St. Vincent & the Grenadines – HBO Latin America Group (LAG) and Karib Cable formally announced that both Companies have signed an agreement for the transmission of the HBO LAG channels to be broadcasted in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, beginning October 1st… more
Saturday, 6 October 2012
BTC to invest over USD 60 mln in fixed network upgrade
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) plans to invest over USD 60 million in its fixed line phone and internet network upgrade… more
BTC opens first Franchise store in GB
Bahamas – Grand Bahama has been chosen as the location for the first Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) franchise store… more
URCA could regulate BEC
Bahamas – Amid recurring island-wide blackouts that have left thousands of consumers without electricity in New Providence, and a recent 25 percent reconnection fee increase, the Utilities Regulations and Competition Authority (URCA) said it is looking at the possibility of regulating and overseeing the Bahamas Electricity Company (BEC)… more
Haiti – Technology : Project of National Commission on the Reform of the Digital Television
Haiti – During a meeting with leaders of Associations of Media, the Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe has announced that he envisaged the establishment of a National Commission on the Reform of Digital Television to allow Haiti to adapt to the changes during the next two years, with the transition to digital, and meet the deadline, set for 17 June 2015… more
Digicel intros ‘Be Extraordinary’ brand platform in Jamaica
Jamaica – Digicel has launched its ‘Be Extraordinary’ brand platform in Jamaica… more
Sunday, 7 October 2012
Antigua Gains Observer Status On ECTEL
OECS – Antigua and Barbuda is set to gain observer status with the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL)… more
TelEm Group educating the public about use of 1-721 area code for St. Maarten
St. Maarten – TelEm Group is stepping up education to the general public about the use of the new 1-721 area code for St. Maarten… more
Image credits: RambergMediaImages (flickr); ECTEL; Henrico Prins (flickr)
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