A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 15 July to Sunday 21 July 2013.
Monday, 15 July 2013
URCA hosts public consultation in Eleuthera on new Consumer Protection Regulations and Number Portability
Bahamas – The Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority (URCA) was in Eleuthera on Thursday evening, July 11th, 2013, where they hosted a public meeting at the Cancer Society building in Palmetto Point… more
Cable deal may lead to further U.S. acquisitions
Bahamas – The purchase of four Florida companies by Cable Bahamas will lay the foundation for further expansion through acquisitions in the U.S. market, the company has stated… more
Grenada govt clears the air on IPI statement: Electronic crimes bill not yet law
Grenada – In a press statement last week, the Grenada government said it “seeks to clarify misleading comments from the Vienna based International Press Institute (IPI) stating that it has passed into law an Electronic Crimes bill… more
Conatel launches an auction for a third mobile licence
Haiti – Haiti’s telecoms regulator Conseil National des Telecommunications (Conatel) has announced the launch of a tender for a licence to operate a 3G/4G mobile network in the 1900MHz spectrum band, previously operated by Haitel. No further details regarding the auction have been released… more
‘Boom’ launches mobile game app
Jamaica – LOCAL energy drink Boom will be launching a new mobile game application, Boom Shaka Boom, on August 5 in Negril… more
Tech Business Courtesy Of Lime – Setting Up An Effective Office Communication System
Jamaica – Excellent internal communication is the key to a thriving business and private branch exchange (PBX) systems have become the selected preference for business owners and communication specialists worldwide… more
UTech and the University of Miami Collaborate for Doctoral Research Internship Programme in ICT
Jamaica – The School of Computing and Information Technology at the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) as part of its thrust to build on its published cutting-edge research in ICT and to enhance interaction and sharing of knowledge with international scholar communities has strengthened its partnership with the Department of Computer Science Graduate School, University of Miami (UoM)… more
A Caribbean Free of Roaming Charges?
Regional – What if you could travel from island to island in the Caribbean, without being charged a roaming fee on your mobile phone? … more
Columbus International Inc. Partners With BrightPath Foundation to Develop Caribbean Digital Content Creation and Technology-Based Learning
Regional – Columbus International Inc. (“Columbus”), a diversified telecommunications provider in the Caribbean, Central America and Andean region, announced that it has signed a three year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with BrightPath Foundation (“BrightPath”),.. more
Nevis Information Minister attends Telecommunications Conference in Aruba
St. Kitts & Nevis – Premier of Nevis and Minister of Information in the Nevis island Administration (NIA) Hon. Vance Amory, left Nevis on July 13, 2013, for the Dutch Caribbean Island Aruba, to attend the 29th annual Conference and Trade Show hosted by CANTOR at the Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino… more
BrightPath launches tech camp for youth
Trinidad & Tobago – Teens with an interest in creating mobile apps, animations or eBooks will soon have a chance to hone their skills at a vacation tech camp based in Port-of-Spain… more
IME email system disappears
Turks & Caicos Islands – The email facility provided to subscribers by LIME (formally Cable and Wireless) has now become inaccessible… more
Tuesday, 16 July 2013
BTC Donates $100K To PMH SickKids Telemedicine
Bahamas – Hundreds of children who need access to foreign medical expertise will be able to get it thanks to a $100,000 donation from the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC)… more
Safe Use Of Technology Campaign Begins With Simulated Accident
British Virgin Islands – The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) has launched a targeted campaign which began with a simulated accident designed to educate the public of the dangers associated with the improper use of communication technology… more
Orange mulls sale of Dominican Republic business: Reuters
Dominican Republic – The telecom provider Orange of France (ORAN.PA), is considering the sale of its Dominican Republic business in a deal that could fetch up to US$1.2 billion, as it exits non-core markets to pay down debt, seven people with knowledge of the situation told Reuters in a report from London on Tuesday… more
DIGICEL REPORTS HUGE SUCCESS SINCE LAUNCH OF NEW CHOICES CAMPAIGN
Grenada – Just one week after launching its two new calling plans to customers across Grenada, Digicel is reporting phenomenal success in how customers have been responding to, and activating the plan of their choice… more
Puerto Rico ‘Hackers Boot Camp’ Winning Solutions Announced
Puerto Rico – The first “Hackers Boot Camp” held in Puerto Rico last month produced more than two dozen applications and solutions to improve services within agencies and with island residents, of which the government has chosen five to follow up on, Chief Information Officer Giancarlo González announced… more
E-Waste Systems Launches Caribbean Initiative
Regional – E-Waste Systems, Inc. (otcqb:EWSI) (‘EWSI’ or the “Company”), an electronic waste management services, technology and reverse logistics company and the first public pure eWaste company, announced today the launch of its first project for the Caribbean to ensure full recycling and zero landfill of ewaste… more
CTO powers ‘ICT access for all’ project in Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad & Tobago – The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization has been assigned to lead a project under the Commonwealth Connects programme… more
TATT board gets instruments of appointment
Trinidad & Tobago – On Friday July 12th 2013, the Honourable Dr. Rupert Griffith, Minister of Science and Technology presented Instruments of Appointment to members of the new Board of the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) who were installed for a two year term… more
TSTT denies workers’ claims
Trinidad & Tobago – Telecommunication Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) is denying claims by its employees that it has deducted pay from staff members involved in a health and safety dispute… more
Wednesday, 17 July 2013
Select committee established as Antigua-US internet gaming dispute continues
Antigua & Barbuda – The Antigua and Barbuda government Wednesday said it had established a select committee to oversee the implementation process, as the island seeks to suspend certain concessions and other obligations with the United States in their ongoing Internet gaming dispute… more
Grand Bahama public urged to comment on URCA
Bahamas – Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon., Dr. Michael Darville on Monday, July 15, urged residents to take advantage of the ongoing public consultations regarding the newly purposed Consumer Protection Regulation… more
BTC: Increased duty will cost us millions
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) expects a 3.5 percent increase in duty on profits or dividends remitted abroad to cause the business to incur “extra millions of dollars in additional costs on an ongoing basis”, according to its CEO… more
Banking on customer data
Cayman Islands – Banks have to find ways to obtain efficient, low cost data about their customers to make analytical decisions and adapt their business models to a changed regulatory and market environment, according to Hank Prybylski, a partner and advisory leader in Ernst & Young’s Americas Financial Services Office… more
Techie Injection – Google Engineer Investing In Technology Start-Ups
Jamaica – American tech expert JJ Geewax has set up a business incubator in Jamaica that will invest in local start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs interested in the global technology industry… more
Superior network performance vital for ICT growth in the Caribbean
Regional – The Caribbean region is embarking on a new technological experience and the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report reveals that mobile-data traffic will continue to grow significantly in the coming years… more
Aligning IT to business needs
Trinidad & Tobago – Technology is supposed to be the servant of business needs. Yet many organisations find themselves contorting business operations to fit the functional constraints of available technology… more
BLINK ENTERTAINMENT LAUNCHES ESPNPLAY.COM ONLINE
Trinidad & Tobago – Blink Entertainment has scored a win for its customers as it proudly announces the addition of ESPNPlay.com to its already flexible and extensive range of features… more
Communications International Upgrading Trinidad and Tobago Dispatch Operations
Trinidad & Tobago – Communications International “Ci” and FATPOT Technologies (a Ci Company), are working with Harris Corporation to provide new mission critical software systems to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago… more
Shutdown threat in TSTT pay dispute
Trinidad & Tobago – EMPLOYEES of the Telecommunication Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) are threatening to shut down the State-owned company if it does not pay its workers and resolve all health and safety issues… more
Thursday, 18 July 2013
ICTA launches new consultation on LLU
Cayman Islands – Cayman Islands’ telecoms regulator the Information and Communications Technology Authority (ICTA) has opened a new public consultation on whether mandating the provision of access to the local loop in the Cayman Islands would be contrary to the public interest… more
Prison boss: We’ll never find all cell phones
Cayman Islands – The embarrassing photos started circulating toward the end of April on social media websites… more
Flow cuts phone rate
Jamaica – COLUMBUS Communications, operators of telecommunications company Flow, has slashed the rate from Flow landlines to mobile phones… more
CWC takes office space in Miami
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communications Plc (CWC) today announces it has signed an agreement to lease office space in Miami, Florida… more
Women and technology
Trinidad & Tobago – AT the recent Women in Leadership Series, held at the Trinidad Hilton, it was evident how much female executives depended on their smartphones and how much they use technology to balance their professional and personal lives… more
Friday, 19 July 2013
Ministry of GB partners with URCA to sensitize residents
Bahamas – The Ministry of Grand Bahama in partnership with the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) wishes to sensitize Bahamians to new consultations, which will directly affect customer service in the electronic sector… more
LIME donates MiFi to budding court reporter
Cayman Islands – Local telecommunications provider LIME has given a helping hand to Cayman News Service’s trainee court reporter by giving her a personal mobile-broadband router (MiFi)… more
Statistical Drill Down: Lack of ICT is a Deal Killer for Cuba Outsourcing’s Future
Cuba – Cuba has long boasted of having one of the most educated workforces in the entire world… more
LIME, Cisco show how modern PBX systems boost efficiency and productivity
Jamaica – TELECOMMUNICATIONS firm LIME and global leader in information technology solutions, Cisco have partnered to offer the public and private sectors cutting-edge PBX business telephone systems designed to boost their efficiency and productivity… more
T.I.P.S. Workshop hosted by the St Kitts Teachers’ Union
St. Kitts & Nevis – The St Kitts Teachers’ Union is cognizant of the fact that technology and the use thereof by our students is steadily increasing which means teachers will now have to become better versed on the use of technological devices so as to effectively and efficiently incorporate them into the learning environment in a strategic manner that will provide our students with the opportunity to develop all aspects of their intelligence… more
Saturday, 20 July 2013
Education Officers To Get Training In Use Of Technology
Barbados – In a continuing effort to enhance the skills and knowledge of staff in the area of technology, the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, will host a one-day workshop for its education officers on Wednesday, July 24… more
GT&T should go back to ‘Dollar a Minute’
Guyana – Dear Editor, I was a faithful GT&T user. My first cellular phone was GT&T and I remained ‘true to the blue’ from then. I encouraged all my colleagues to switch to the blue network and some did… more
Lotto Scam Task Force Is Working, Says Sup’t Clunis
Jamaica – Head of the Lottery Scam Task Force, Superintendent Leon Clunis, says contrary to public criticism, his unit has been actively pursuing the apprehension of persons involved in the illegal lottery scam activities, especially in western Jamaica, and is reaping success… more
Caribbean communications infrastructure program to increase broadband connectivity in the region
Regional – Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines, in partnership with regional organisations, the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN) and the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL), launched the Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (CARCIP) on 26 June 2013 in Grenada… more
Sunday, 21 July 2013
Digicel remains steadfast on liberalized telecoms sector
Guyana – In any market, whether Stabroek Market or the New York Stock Exchange, there are certain key factors that are critical to the industry such as supply and demand. Also among them are competition and regulation… more
Haiti – Telecommunication : Towards a concession in the 1,900 Mhz band
Haiti – According to the National Council of Telecommunications (CONATEL), the market of mobile cellular communications has changed significantly in recent years. From a competitive environment dominated by four operators, the mobile landscape is now run by 2 operators following the bankruptcy of HAITEL S.A. : NATCOM (Former TELECO) of the Vietnamese company VIETTEL and DIGICEL (after buying VOILÀ/COMCEL)… more
A PATH for mobile money
Jamaica – Government could start paying Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) beneficiaries through the mobile wallet, kickstarting a mobile payment movement in Jamaica, says a director of the Mona School of Business (MSB)… more
Image credits: RambergMediaImages (flickr); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia;
____________
