A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 17 June to Sunday 23 June 2013.
Monday, 17 June 2012
PM won’t be rushed on BTC
Bahamas – Prime Minister Perry Christie has dismissed a suggestion from head of the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) Bernard Evans that he has been slow to act on his promise to get back a controlling interest in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) on behalf of the Bahamian people… more
Digicel Continues to Deepen and Strengthen Mobile Network Structure
Grenada – As Grenada enters the 2013 hurricane season; Digicel would like to assure customers the company is readying all resources to deal with any eventualities during the season. This includes investments in making the network even more resilient… more
‘Criminals have conspired to test Cybercrimes Act’
Jamaica – AFTER three years in force, with prosecutors yet to convict anyone under the Cybercrimes Act, Deputy Prosecutor in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions Loxly Ricketts is concluding that criminal minds have conspired to test the mettle of the system… more
Digicel Jamaica revamps tariff plan offering
Jamaica – Digicel Jamaica has revamped its tariff plan offering in Jamaica… more
Digicel responds to complaints
Jamaica – Telecommunications company Digicel is reminding its mobile customers that special government taxes are not included in its new rates which were announced last week… more
Morant Bay Primary Gets Computer Lab Boost From LIME
Jamaica – Students at the Morant Bay Primary School now have access to a newly refurbished computer lab, gifted to the 90-year-old institution by LIME Foundation… more
CXC to record first-ever video-based syllabus orientation
Regional – The Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) will make history in Grenada this week with the recording of its first-ever completely video-based syllabus orientation… more
US IT expert: Section 34 e-mails fraudulent
Trinidad & Tobago – US information technology expert Jon Berryhill says the Section 34 e-mails presented to Parliament by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley during his a no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister on May 20 are “fraudulent.” … more
Tuesday, 18 June 2013
Cable ‘Not Given Up’ On 27% TV Price Increase
Bahamas – A Cable Bahamas executive yesterday suggested its application for a 27 per cent increase in basic cable TV prices would have been approved “in any other jurisdiction”, indicating the company had not given up on efforts to persuade regulators to reverse their rejection… more
Communications In 6% Licence Burden ‘Hit’
Bahamas – The 2013-2014 Budget will make the communications sector one of the Bahamas’ most heavily taxed industry, a major player estimating that its various licence fees now equalled around 6 per cent of total annual revenues… more
Contract workers demand pay from BTC
Bahamas – Dozens of angry contract workers gathered outside the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) headquarters on John F. Kennedy Drive yesterday, in an effort to get salaries they said were not paid to them… more
GT&T deploys cell tower in North Rupununi
Guyana – Guyana Telephone & Telegraph (GT&T) has deployed a new cell tower in the North Rupununi district, in south-west Guyana… more
Jamaica Looks to Boost BPO Readiness with New Training Alliance
Jamaica – Jamaica’s outsourcing industry lobby group (BPIAJ) has teamed up with the country’s National Training Agency (NTA) to build what is hoped to be a pioneering program to increase the readiness of the BPO worker population… more
Caribbean: Is Somebody Watching?
Regional – The ongoing saga with U.S. Internet surveillance whistleblower Edward Snowden has captured the attention of the world – Caribbean bloggers included… more
TelEm Group Apps available at Apple Store and Blackberry App World.
St. Maarten – TelEm Group, in collaboration with third party developers, has developed customized mobile applications (APPS) especially for their mobile subscribers… more
Wednesday, 19 June 2013
Bahamas Govt considers legislation for CCTV digital images as evidence
Bahamas – Consideration is now being given to introducing legislation to admit CCTV digital images as evidence in trials, Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie said… more
Digicel Announces the Blackberry Q10
Grenada – Digicel, the leading mobile communications provider in Grenada, has announced that the sleek BlackBerry Q10 was made available to Grenadian consumers from Friday, June 14… more
Jamaica Has World Class ICT Industry – State Minister Robinson
Jamaica – Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson, says that the country’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry is among the best in the world… more
Lower Call Rates Positive For Economy – PIOJ
Jamaica – The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) expects increased economic activity and lower inflation because of decreases in mobile telecommunication rates by operators Digicel Jamaica and LIME during the past week… more
Telecoms Operators To Bear Portability Set-Up Costs
Jamaica – The draft number-portability rules submitted for public review by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining indicates that individual mobile operators are likely to bear the costs of making their systems ready as well as contribute to the set-up costs of a central database… more
SMMC Loses All Computer Information — No Current Backup in place — Investigation Warranted, 2012 Financial Report shows Huge Deficit.
St. Maarten – Medical personnel including staff and the management team of the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) are faced with yet another hurdle. Reliable information reaching SMN News states that all information pertaining to SMMC that was stored on the hospital’s computer disappeared… more
TelCell expecting keen interest in Blackberry’s keyboard-friendly Q10 Smartphone.
St. Maarten – TelEm Group’s mobile provider, TelCell, has launched the sale of Blackberry’s redesigned Smartphone the Q10 – just three months after the St. Maarten launch of the first redesigned model – the Z10… more
TSTT workers protest again
Trinidad & Tobago – WORKERS with Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) held another protest at the company’s facility at Cipero Road, San Fernando on Tuesday… more
Thursday, 20 June 2013
BTC takes issue with ‘Irresponsible’ Comments of Bernard Evans
Bahamas – BTC takes grave issue with the comments made by BCPOU leader, Mr. Bernard Evans, last week, calling them “irresponsible” and “extraordinarily misleading”… more
BTC wins global innovation award
Bahamas – BTC beats world class field including British Telecom, China Mobile, Telstra and Telefonica… more
Cable’s ‘Amazing’ Internet Beats Forecast Almost 10%
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas saw “amazing” Internet revenue growth in 2012 that beat projections by almost 10 per cent, a senior executive telling Tribune Business yesterday that it was “hitting most of our target numbers for 2013”… more
Ex-BTC Chair Has ‘No Doubts’ On Privatisation
Bahamas – A FORMER Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) chairman has “no doubt” that its privatisation through the sale of a controlling 51 per cent stake was good for the Bahamian economy, as it eliminated politics from its operations… more
Revon Extreme Pushes Bahamas Broadband Speed To 45Th In World
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas’ recent launch of its high-speed Internet service is already paying dividends, elevating the country’s global broadband ranking from 87 to 45 in just two months… more
LIME’s classroom
Barbados – In keeping with its new slogan, Value Every Moment, Lime has taken another step toward increasing the number of services it provides by offering e-learning to the region’s students… more
24 radio, cable, TV licences ready for hand out…Broadcasters have to pay licence fee of $2.5 million
Guyana – Revelations by Bibi Shadick, the chairperson of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) show that Radio Guyana Inc. and Telcor Cultural Broadcasting have five frequencies from which to undertake radio broadcasts. However, one of those frequencies is being used to transmit signals to different parts of the country… more
Stolen OLPF laptops found at Queenstown security firm
Guyana – A government security contractor is in hot water after police, in search of stolen items, discovered millions of dollars worth of suspected stolen items including several laptops linked to government’s One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme… more
Court says INDECOM does not have power to request Digicel call data
Jamaica – The Supreme Court has ruled that the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) does not have the power to compel telecommunications company Digicel to provide information regarding the use of its services by third parties… more
$200,000 in cellphones swiped
Trinidad & Tobago – Police are searching for two thieves who broke into a cellphone store at Gulf City Shopping Complex, La Romaine, and escaped with more than $200,000 in electronic items… more
Friday, 21 June 2013
BTC: $100m ‘Investments Outstrip Depreciation’
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday hailed the $10 million year-over-year increase in the value of its ‘fixed’ assets as “a positive sign”, a senior executive saying it showed “investment is outstripping depreciation”… more
BTC Blasts ‘Appalling’ Union Leader’s Claims
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday branded a trade union leader’s attack on its labour policies as “frankly appalling”, describing them as “irresponsible” and unwarranted… more
Evans says he wont pressure PM on BTC
Bahamas – Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) President Bernard Evans said yesterday he will not pressure Prime Minister Perry Christie in his efforts to regain majority shares in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC)… more
First Nassau Education Technology Conference Held At Lyford Cay International School
Bahamas – Under the theme, “Heads in the Cloud”, the first Nassau Education Technology (NET.1) Conference was held on Monday, 17th June, 2013 at the Lyford Cay International School… more
PM: BTC Could Retain Monopoly After March 2014
Bahamas – PRIME MINISTER Perry Christie said yesterday there is a possibility that BTC will retain its telecommunications monopoly beyond March 2014… more
PM Hints At BTC Monopoly Extend
Bahamas – PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday hinted that the Government could be open to extending the Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) cellular monopoly if Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) relinquished majority control of the company… more
RADA ploughs new ground with ICT support
Jamaica – JAMAICA’S farming community could see vast improvements to the services now being offered by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) after receiving 130 Huawei Media Pad 7 Lite Tablets from Digicel Business to boost its data collection capacity… more
Digicel Group Profit Up 11%
Regional – Telecommunications operator Digicel Group recorded US$1.2 billion in trading profit for its March 2013 year end, 11 per cent higher than the prior year, despite a flat subscriber base… more
Digicel Group sees record $2.8b revenue
Regional – Digicel Group yesterday posted record revenue of $2.78 billion for the year ended March 31 with core profits of $1.2 billion… more
LIME in on online study tool
Regional – Telecommunications company LIME has formed a partnership with caribbeanexams.com to assist the region’s primary and secondary school students… more
T&T a Facebook nation
Trinidad & Tobago – More than 42 per cent of T&T’s 18-35-year-olds spend more than 11 hours a week consuming digital media… more
Saturday, 22 June 2013
Antigua and Barbuda to Establish Open Data Readiness Unit
Antigua and Barbuda – The Government of Antigua and Barbuda believes data should be treated as a valuable asset that ought to be made available to the public, instead of keeping it trapped in government systems… more
BTC union not helping company
Bahamas – Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) President Bernard Evans has been making hostile statements toward the Bahamas Telecommunications Company of late. This is the company where most of his members work… more
B.T.L. tower drops on home and vehicle in Sittee
Belize – Earlier in the news we told you about the flood waters in Jordan Village. Tropical Depression Two made landfall in southern Belize near Monkey River on Monday evening and with it came a torrent that threatened to wash away crops and livestock in the area… more
Flow Uses Flash Mob To Promote Summer Offerings
Jamaica – The usually busy commercial centre of Half-Way Tree was brought to a halt as a Flow flash mob took over the Transport Centre to deliver a special treat to commuters, motorists and pedestrians in a cleverly orchestrated dance routine choreographed by Dr L’Antoinette Stines, recently… more
Sunday, 23 June 2013
Digicel Claims Huge Success Since Launch Of New Plans
Jamaica – One week after launching its new calling plans to customers across Jamaica, Digicel is reporting phenomenal success in how customers have been responding to, and activating the plan of their choice… more
JN to launch Jamaica’s ‘first’ crowd-funding website
Jamaica – JAMAICA National’s microfinance arm will next month launch a crowd-funding website that will allow entrepreneurs to access financing from people all over the world… more
No Spying!
Jamaica – As the dispute rages in the United States and Britain about security agencies listening to calls and checking emails in the name of national security, the local Supreme Court has said a loud ‘no’ to attempts by a state agency to access telephone records… more
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