A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 26 August to Sunday 1 September 2013.
Monday, 26 August 2013
Edigicash Version 2 Released
Belize – SoftPark Technologies Corp., a leading provider of e-commerce solutions for online merchants worldwide, has released eDigiCash Version 2… more
LIME cash squeeze could cost jobs
Cayman Islands – Telecoms company Cable and Wireless want to shed losses and cut US$100 million in costs, but this could mean people’s jobs here in the Cayman Islands… more
Flow Serves Up Us Open Treat
Jamaica – When the first ball is served at the start of the US Open tennis tournament today, sports fans in Jamaica will have behind-the-scenes access to that and other sporting events for three days on ESPN Play, available exclusively via the Flow network… more
Journalists call for resignation of TVJ chairman
Jamaica – The Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) is calling for the resignation of the chairman of the board of Television Jamaica (TV), Milton Samuda, following an allegation that he confiscated the video camera of journalists who had conducted an interview with two Olympians last month… more
Tuesday, 27 August 2013
BTC Franchises To Create 120 Jobs By Year-End
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday said its franchise store roll-out will have created 100-120 jobs by year-end, with another three locations set to open by October… more
Grenada Exploring ICT Partnership With Trinidad and Tobago
Grenada – Grenada’s government is exploring the possibility of establishing an ICT partnership with Trinidad and Tobago… more
Digicel’s launches ‘best friend for free’ promotion
Jamaica – Telecommunications provider, Digicel today introduced a new offer that allows customers on their Gimme 5 and Brawta plans to connect with their best friends for free… more
Caribbean vulnerable to hackers- expert
Regional – The Caribbean is not immune to the recent global attacks on computer networks and systems by Internet hackers… more
On being young, gifted and techy
Trinidad & Tobago – It’s hard to get annoyed for long with the team at F1RST, a new technology startup that’s gambling big on creating a Caribbean Internet platform designed to lubricate the schedules of today’s connected limers… more
Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Facebook turns down Barbados government’s request for info
Barbados – The international controversy over state surveillance and spying has reached Barbados… more
Technology experts to help defend Belize against internet attacks
Belize – The Caribbean is not immune to the recent global attacks on computer networks and systems by Internet hackers… more
Bright future for Dominica mobile apps
Dominica – More than sixty young people from Dominica launched software applications delivering local content for government services, community news and agriculture alerts, as part of a historic Mobile App Development workshop in the island’s capital city, Roseau… more
Haiti – Technology : Launch of Network of Schools REPTICE
Haiti – Tuesday, the College of Côte Plage of Carrefour proceeded to the launch to the Knowledge and Freedom Foundation (FOKAL), of the Network of Schools of Program Information Technology, Communication and Energy (REPTICE)… more
Telecom licence auction moving again
Jamaica – ALREADY more than three months behind schedule, the Spectrum Management Authority hopes to take another step closer to the sale of two telecommunications licences next month… more
Lexmark Shifts Focus From Printers To Business Solutions
Puerto Rico – After more than a year of quietly reshuffling its Puerto Rico operation, Lexmark executives met with members of the media Thursday to outline future plans that call for a marked shift from being strictly known as a consumer-oriented, multi-functional printer maker to a solutions provider catering to a corporate market they say is leaning more toward adopting digital technologies… more
Thursday, 29 August 2013
BTC ‘Vehemently Denies’ Cable Portability Claim
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas and the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday renewed their verbal war, this time over who was to blame for the delay in introducing number portability to this nation… more
Detainees ‘paid guards for cell phones, uniforms’
Bahamas – One of the Cuban detainees allegedly beaten by detention center guards back in May claimed when he was interviewed by investigators that detainees paid money to defence force guards to use their uniforms in a video they made reenacting the abuse, and paid the guards to provide cell phones with video recording capabilities… more
Cable Bahamas blasts BTC for delay in key liberalization step
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas has blamed BTC for delays in the implementation of what it is calling a “cornerstone” of true liberalization of the telecoms market in this country, after URCA announced it is postponing number portability due to a lack of “operator readiness”… more
Taiwan donates Communication Equipment to Police
Belize – The government of Taiwan through the embassy in Belize handed over a mobile police station dubbed the Police Peace Caravan along with Radio Communication Equipment and Repeaters to the Police department… more
Telecoms Firms Lose Millions To Battery Theft At Cell Sites
Jamaica – There are fears that the mushrooming of private solar-energy solution systems may have triggered a spike in the theft of expensive batteries used at cell sites of the island’s telecommunications companies… more
“Caribbean Telecommunications Report Q3 2013″ Published
Regional – Our Q313 Caribbean report analyses latest industry, regulatory and macroeconomic developments in the telecoms markets of 10 countries: Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago… more
Teachers & Students Get 1000 FREE Texts in Digicel’s “Back to School” Promotion
St. Kitts & Nevis – Digicel St. Kitts and Nevis is making it easier for students and teachers to keep in touch and start the new semester in style with its Back to School Promotion… more
Digicel business adds Pepsi
Trinidad & Tobago – DIGICEL Business, the region’s leading business solutions partner, today announced that the Pepsi Bottling Company has joined its growing list of valued customers… more
Put free laptop policy to the test
Trinidad & Tobago – Now that the bill is in—$59 million—for delivery of the People’s Partnership campaign pledge to provide laptops to Form One pupils, a start should at least be made in evaluating the benefits… more
Technological change, media and business
Trinidad & Tobago – THERE are few commercial sectors that have experienced the kinds of fundamental impacts that new technologies have brought to the mass media… more
Friday, 30 August 2013
GATE enters new phase with opening of training facility
Antigua & Barbuda – The training facility for the Government Assisted Technology Endeavour (GATE) programme launched yesterday with reminders that it is part of a revolutionary move to transform communications – and, by extension, life – in Antigua & Barbuda… more
Government opens ICT Cadet Training Facility
Antigua & Barbuda – The Ministry of Telecommunications, Science and Technology on Thursday officially opened an ICT Cadet Training facility, which will be used to train hundreds of Antiguans and Barbudans in ICT’s and New Media techniques… more
200 LIME workers on way out
Barbados – LIME has confirmed that 200 workers will go home next month as a result of a deal with global provider Ericsson that will see the Swedish company taking over some of the telecommunications company’s technical services…more
Caribbean ICT Road Show On Curaçao
Curaçao – Bureau Telecommunications and Post (BTP) , in cooperation with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) will hold a Caribbean ICT Roadshow and an Internet Governance Forum from Monday 9 to Wednesday, September 11, 2013… more
CTEX Together With Its Partners Present The Business Case For Curaçao As The Region’s Newest Technology And Business Nexus
Columbia – Curaçao Technology Exchange (CTEX), together with KPMG Meijburg & Co., the law firm of Van Eps Kunneman and the HBM Group met with senior executives from 50 of Colombia’s top Multinational corporations, the so called Multilatinas… more
LIME wins bid to host ministry’s e-mail service
Jamaica – LIME recently won a bid to manage the electronic mail platform of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, effective October 1, 2013… more
TVJ chairman steps down, pending outcome of investigation
Jamaica – Embattled chairman of the of the board of Television Jamaica Ltd. (TVJ), Milton Samuda, Friday temporary stepped down from his position pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations that he had engaged in censorship when he restricted the questions to be asked of two Olympians last month… more
CARICOM’s e-agriculture strategies
Regional – The Caribbean Community is transforming its agricultural sector into a competitive and sustainable system of agricultural production and services in which ICTs will play a vital role… more
Digicel Business Recognised by Cisco for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction in the Caribbean, Panama and El Salvador
Regional – Digicel Business announced today that it has achieved a Customer Satisfaction Excellence Gold Star from Cisco. This designation recognises Digicel Business for delivering outstanding customer service to its customers across the Caribbean, Panama and El Salvador… more
Tim buys 3,300 extra laptops for St Lucia
Trinidad & Tobago – A total of 3,300 of the 21,500 Lenovo Thinkpad laptops bought by the People’s Partnership Government, at a cost of $58 million, will be shipped to St Lucia as part of a government-to-government Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh said yesterday… more
Saturday, 31 August 2013
URCA to Send Youth to ITU UN Meeting in Costa Rica
Bahamas – The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) will sponsor two youth at the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU), BYND 2015 Global Youth Summit in San Jose, Costa Rica next month. Both are recent graduates of The College of The Bahamas… more
Social media used for crimes
Barbados – Social media is another avenue used to commit crime and police say it is a concern… more
What did Internet provider disclose?
Trinidad & Tobago – Attorney representing Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in the controversial emailgate probe, Israel Khan SC, says he is anxious to know what information the Integrity Commission (IC) has received from an international electronic mail service provider regarding his client… more
Sunday, 1 September 2013
DBJ To Fund $9B In Business Opportunities – ICT Sector Targeted For Thousands Of Jobs
Jamaica – The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) has targeted more than 6,000 potential jobs in the information communication and technology (ICT) sector for the financial year 2013-2014 and it aims to make available J$6.3 billion to facilitate an estimated J$9 billion in business activities… more
TopUp in the US and get big savings with LIME
Regional – With back-to-school upon us, topping up cell phones for students, parents and teachers alike has just been made a lot easier and cheaper for family, friends and colleagues of LIME customers living in the USA… more
Image credits: RambergMediaImages (flickr); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
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