A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 23 September to Sunday 29 September 2013.
Monday, 23 September 2013
Minnis: PM’s BTC effort ‘waste of time’
Bahamas – The government’s ongoing negotiations with Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) over the ownership of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) are “a waste of time,” Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis said yesterday… more
Internet cable back online
Cayman Islands – The main line providing internet service to the country is now powered up once again. LIME confirms the MAYA-1 cable came back online just before midnight Monday… more
George foresees Dominica as a leader in ICT
Dominica – Minister for Information Telecommunications and Constituency Empowerment Ambrose George has declared that Dominica has the potential to become the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) center in the Caribbean… more
Grenada – Governor-General urged to veto law
Grenada – Dame Cécile La Grenade Governor-General St. George’s, Grenada, Dear Governor-General La Grenade, … more
Prime Minister says amendments will be made to Electronic Crimes Bill
Grenada – The Grenada government said Monday that it would make the “necessary changes” to the Electronic Crimes Bill after the legislation was criticised by regional and international media groups as curbing free speech on the island… more
Caribbean lagging in wireless broadband use — UN report
Regional – With nearly two out of every five people in the world expected to be online by the end of the year, more than two-thirds of those living in developing countries, including the Caribbean, will not have access to the Internet, says the United Nations in a global survey of broadband access… more
Computer Keyboard Malfunctions
Regional – Why you need to know: There are many reasons a computer keyboard may malfunction – from the introduction of a virus to the device to simple accidents. Instead of going out and spending unnecessary money on a technician or purchasing a new keyboard, try all troubleshooting procedures to find the source of the problem or rectify the keyboard functions… more
Outfoxing those pesky scammers
Regional – “Your e-mail id has won £750,000.00 pounds,’’ the junk message began enthusiastically, “from the British JUMBO draw, held on 7th September 2013 with application draw number 014.’’ … more
Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Information commissioner laments lack of personnel to effect Act
Antigua & Barbuda – Information Commission Alister Thomas has reported that heads of a number of government departments and statutory corporations are still in breach of the Freedom of Information Act of 2004 (FOI), by failing to appoint information officers… more
BTC Boosts Landline Appeal in Bahamas
Bahamas – Cell phones have certain glamour and appeal but the landline, not so much. But with the introduction of HomePhonePlus, the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) new, ‘love your landline’ low price packages, home phones have taken on a new lease of life… more
The UWI’s Single Virtual University Space Launches Pilot
Regional – The University of the West Indies (The UWI) welcomes students to its Single Virtual University Space (SVUS), an initiative of Vice Chancellor Professor E. Nigel Harris… more
BTP-SXM poised to take action after Saint Kitts frequency overlap
St. Maarten – The Bureau of Telecommunication and Post of Sint Maarten (BTP-SXM) has confirmed that it is monitoring reports of signal interference affecting domestic mobile operators… more
Wednesday, 25 September 2013
BTC Boosts Landline Appeal
Bahamas – Cell phones have certain glamour and appeal but the landline, not so much. But with the introduction of HomePhonePlus, the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) new, ‘love your landline’ low price packages, home phones have taken on a new lease of life… more
Cable Bahamas continues Florida expansion with acquisition of two more cable operators
Bahamas – Today, Cable Bahamas Ltd announced that on 20th September 2013, following the successful completion its Senior Credit Facility refinancing, it had concluded the acquisitions of Marco Island Cable (MIC) and NuVu LLC (Nu Vu)… more
LIME customers crippled by Internet failure; service being restored
British Virgin Islands – LIME BVI customers throughout the British Virgin Islands were left without broadband service for several hours on Wednesday (September 25)… more
Digicel To Invest J$4B More In Operations
Jamaica – Digicel Jamaica said Tuesday that it plans to invest another J$4 billion to improve its network and customer care delivery… more
Broadband’s role moves up in post-2015 sustainable development
Regional – The Broadband Commission for Digital Development, a joint initiative of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNESCO, has issued a new report looking at several aspects of broadband and its positive effects on people, environment and society… more
LIME laying off hundreds throughout region
Regional – An undisclosed number of technicians from the Virgin Islands affiliate of the telecommunications provider LIME could lose their jobs as a result of a deal with a Swedish firm that is prompting massive layoffs regionally… more
Thursday, 26 September 2013
Digicel extends LTE footprint in Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua & Barbuda – Digicel has announced that its operational unit in Antigua and Barbuda has expanded its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network with the installation of a new site serving the Gunthorpes, Lightfoot, Sea View Farm and Potters community… more
Cyber crimes recommendations to be tabled next week
Jamaica – State Minister for Science and Technology, Julian Robinson, says recommendations for amendments to strengthen the Cybercrimes Act, are to be tabled in Parliament next week… more
Recommendations for Changes to Cybercrimes Act to be Tabled Next Week
Jamaica – Recommendations for amendments to strengthen the Cybercrimes Act, are to be tabled in Parliament next week, State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson, has informed… more
Friday, 27 September 2013
CWC to upgrade Bahamas sub-sea cable network
Bahamas – Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) is upgrading and expanding its sub-sea cable network in The Bahamas paving the way for the launch of a range of new broadband-enabled services… more
LIME hit by copper theft
Barbados – Over 200 LIME customers in Six Men’s, St Peter, and surrounding areas woke up this morning to dead phone lines due to severed cables from which the copper was missing. The rubber and plastic was dumped in a nearby cart road sometime in the wee hours yesterday morning… more
The company plans to introduce IPTV – Internet Protocol Television
Belize – The Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) held its 7th Annual General Meeting at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel tonight. Directors proposed a dividend of 25 cents a share, a slight increase from 24 cents last year… more
Digicel Said to Bid for Orange Dominican Republic Unit
Dominican Republic – Digicel Group Ltd., seeking to expand its position as the Caribbean’s largest phone company, is bidding for Orange SA’s (ORA) Dominican Republic unit, according to people with knowledge of the matter… more
Credit Bureau Wants Access To Phone, Utility Data
Jamaica – Creditinfo Jamaica Limited wants the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) to put its weight behind its lobby to include phone and other utility billing information as sources of credit data… more
Digicel Jamaica powers Cyber School e-learning project
Jamaica – Digicel Jamaica has signed a partnership agreement with Cyber School Technology Solutions (CSTS). Students and teachers of Mathematics and the Sciences at the CXC level will have access to course material online through web tutorials developed by CSTS… more
Gov’t to Address Online Safety Under School Tablet Programme
Jamaica – The government is moving to address concerns about the safety of children online, as it prepares to pilot the School Tablet Computer Programme during the current academic year… more
Jamaica College Aces CSEC IT For Fifth Year
Jamaica – WHAT DOES it take to achieve a 100 per cent success rate in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations for five consecutive years? … more
LIME to cut rate for landline to mobile calls
Jamaica – Telecommunications company , LIME , will cut the cost of phone calls from its landline to mobile phones by almost 8 percent as of next Tuesday… more
Digicel St Kitts & Nevis launches “My Digicel App” for BlackBerry Customers
St. Kitts & Nevis – Digicel is happy to introduce for the first time to its valued Smartphone customers, the “MyDigicel” App for Android and BlackBerry devices… more
Young men give St. Kitts and Nevis a presence on Android market
St. Kitts & Nevis – The Mobile Apps workshop organized by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis in January 2012, provided a good start for two young men in particular, who have since produced several applications on their way to starting formalized training in software engineering… more
Saturday, 28 September 2013
Cable Bahamas continues Florida expansion with acquisition of two more cable operators
Bahamas – Today, Cable Bahamas Ltd announced that on 20th September 2013, following the successful completion its Senior Credit Facility refinancing, it had concluded the acquisitions of Marco Island Cable (MIC) and NuVu LLC (Nu Vu). The total cash consideration paid by Cable Bahamas to acquire MIC and Nu Vu was $10.1M and $12.6M respectively… more
Information Minister’s International Right To Know Day Message
Jamaica – Jamaica is proud to once again join the global community in the observance of ‘International Right to Know Day’. We do so, mindful of the considerable progress that has been made both locally and internationally in advancing openness and the public’s right to know as essential ingredients of our democracy and good governance process… more
Digicel’s O’Brien rules out IPO ‘at the moment’
Regional – DENIS O’Brien has ruled out selling shares in Digicel “at the moment”… more
Digicel St Kitts & Nevis intros mobile account management app
St. Kitts & Nevis – Digicel St Kitts & Nevis has introduced its ‘MyDigicel App’ for Android and BlackBerry devices. MyDigicel App users can access customer care services and manage their Digicel Account directly from their handsets… more
The Laptops Are Here!
St. Lucia – Form Four students across Saint Lucia will next Tuesday begin receiving their free laptops, compliments the government of Saint Lucia. The laptop distribution exercise is expected to run until Friday, October 4… more
TSTT workers want their $100 million or else
Trinidad & Tobago – The Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) has given Government an ultimatum: ensure that Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT) settle outstanding issues with workers or prepare for a great loss at the local government elections… more
Sunday, 29 September 2013
New iPhone may not be so cheap in Jamaica
Jamaica – TELECOM provider LIME expects to launch the new iPhone 5S and 5C in November, but don’t expect a US$99 ($10,000) starting price tag… more
Samsung launches new Galaxy products in T&T
Trinidad & Tobago – Samsung Electronics hosted the T&T launch of it new Galaxy Note 3 and the Galaxy Gear on Thursday evening at Aria Lounge in Woodbrook. The Galaxy Note 3 is the latest in the Samsung Note product line, while Galaxy Gear is a smart watch, a companion to the Note 3… more
Image credits: Gary Thomson (flickr); Bahamas Local; Wikipedia; Brands of the World
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