A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 15 June to Sunday 21 June 2015.
Monday, 15 June 2015
New cell-phone tax
Barbados – Effective August 1, 2015, it will cost more to make calls on cell-phones… more
New telecoms home in Warrens
Barbados – WITH GREEN set to give way to blue as the operations of LIME and FLOW merge in Barbados, Columbus Barbados’ transformation of the former Orange Mall at Warrens into a new headquarters has been completed… more
Curacao ethical hacking and cyber security training event rescheduled
Curacao – An internationally sponsored cyber security and ethical hacking training event that was originally scheduled to be held last Wednesday and Thursday (9 and 10 June) in Curacao has now been deferred to the 29 and 30 June… more
10 Haitian Social Media Influencers You Should Follow
Haiti – Have you noticed that on social media, when it comes to people who are highlighted as influencers, that the lists often lack diversity? … more
Flow Asserts Merger Benefits
Regional – Consumer protection and customer service remain paramount for the newly merged telecommunications company Cable and Wireless-Columbus… more
Flow apologises for regional Internet outage
Regional – Still wondering why you couldn’t access your favourite websites and Internet services last night? Wonder no more… more
Longsworth marching UWI into the future
Trinidad and Tobago – Tertiary education is no longer the domain of only those who can afford. In a border-less world, made so by Internet and mobile technologies, most people have access to knowledge… more
Tuesday, 16 June 2015
Cable Bahamas proposes share split
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas Ltd (CBL) announced today that it would be proposing at its upcoming annual general meeting a three-for-one (3:1) share split of its ordinary shares, providing greater marketability and liquidity in the market and making shares more affordable, especially to potential smaller investors… more
$200m in taxes
Barbados – Barbadians will soon by paying more for certain food products as a result of Government’s decision to make changes to the so-called basket of basic food items… more
Digicel launches new services
Barbados – BARBADIANS NOW HAVE a choice for fixed land line and hosted PBX services… more
Mobile talk tax
Barbados – CELLPHONE CONVERSATIONS in Barbados are to be taxed by Government as part of a new set of impositions to finance education and environmental protection… more
US radio station broadcasts from Cuba
Cuba – The US radio station Sirius XM Radio was the first to broadcast a live program for the entire United States from Cuba in over 50 years, taking advantage of a visit of its team to the island, where it will stay for seven days… more
New timeline for delivery of tablets to students
Dominica – A new timeline for delivering tablets to Dominican students has been announced… more
GT&T enhanced Internet project progressing smoothly
Guyana – Three months after the launch of its enhanced internet service, GT&T says over 60% of its customers are now experiencing the fastest and most affordable internet in Guyana… more
Digicel Business wins Avaya’s Best Project of the Year Award
Regional – Digicel, the region’s leading Business Solutions provider, recently won the highly coveted, Avaya Caribbean-wide Project of the Year award thanks to its ICT and Unified Communication platform deployed at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in Barbados… more
Digicel Keeps On Winning
Regional – Digicel Group recently took home two awards at the annual Global Telecoms Business Innovation Awards 2015, held at the Sheraton Park Hotel, Piccadilly, London… more
ECTEL Board Meets Today
Regional – THE Board of Directors of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) will meet in St. Vincent and the Grenadines today for their 71st meeting… more
New media watch group launched with focus on the Caribbean
Regional – A new media watch group has been launched, according to press release on Monday, with a particular focus on the Caribbean, prompted by personal attacks and insults by mainstream media in Trinidad and Tobago directed at one local freelance journalist Marcia Braveboy… more
Wednesday, 17 June 2015
Cable Bahamas management to pitch share split
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas Ltd. (CBL) has announced an intended three-for-one share split of its ordinary shares, claiming the move would provide “greater marketability and liquidity in the market and make shares more affordable, especially to potential smaller investors”… more
Digicel fixed landlines for businesses launched
Barbados – A DECADES-OLD monopoly on the fixed landline service is being shattered, giving thousands of businesses in Barbados an alternative service with better quality and lower costs… more
iBelizean Launches as a Social Network Created Specifically for Belizeans
Belize – iBelizean announces its launch as a very simple, intuitive and authoritative digital market square for Belizeans and people of Belizean extraction… more
US telecommunication companies offer new plans to call Cuba
Cuba – In a bid to reach out to a promising market, Sprint and T-Mobile, two major US wireless carriers, have announced new initiatives to allow US customers to connect with relatives and friends in Cuba… more
ISP providing poor service
Guyana – Dear Editor, As a resident in the village of Schoonord, Parfaite Harmonie housing scheme on the West Bank Demerara for some three-and-a-half years, my experience has been one of a tremendous sense of achievement tempered by the fact that some important services are not functioning effectively… more
Open data offers prospects for wealth creation — Robinson
Jamaica – MINISTER of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Julian Robinson, says open data is a tremendous resource that offers prospects for wealth creation… more
Loop gets an app upgrade
Regional – Closely following its one year anniversary, Trend Media Group, the leading Caribbean digital media company and publishers of online news app and website Loop, has unveiled the newest version of its app, which will see customers enjoying an improved experience when they update or download the app from the Android, Windows and Apple app store, a release said… more
Thursday, 18 June 2015
Digicel wants six-month window for Telecoms Bill
Antigua and Barbuda – Telecoms giant Digicel is calling on the government to have a six-month implementation window for the new Telecommunications Bill due to be debated in the Lower House of Parliament today… more
Cable Bahamas launches new REV web site optimised for mobile users
Bahamas – After a radical rebranding exercise in 2011, Cable Bahamas has reinvented itself yet again by giving its web presence a complete makeover… more
FLOW’s maintenance now Saturday night, 20th June & apologise in advance for inconveniences caused.
Barbados – Further to FLOW’s previous announcement of Scheduled Maintenance to be carried out on June 13th and June 14th, please note that the Maintenance will now be conducted on Saturday 20th June and Sunday 21st June between the hours of 12:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.… more
Grenada launches business grants for innovators and entrepreneurs
Grenada – Innovators and entrepreneurs in Grenada will soon benefit from a suite of new grant funding opportunities… more
Gov’t Erred On Flow/LIME Merger
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: I note with interest a Monday Gleaner column penned by Flow’s director of corporate communications, Gail Abrahams, trying to market to the Jamaican people that the LIME-Flow merger is a good thing and will redound to the benefit of consumers… more
“Barbados hosts region’s first-ever peering forum” by Gerard Best
Regional – The first-ever Caribbean Peering and Internet Connection Forum (CarPIF) successfully concluded with commitments from Internet companies Akamai Technologies and Google to pay closer attention to the needs of Caribbean Internet service providers and consumers… more
Island XoXo, A New Caribbean Dating Website Launched
Regional – Caribbean people still looking for love have a new platform which can help them find the love of their lives… more
KM² Solutions Continues Expansion Plans in the Caribbean and Central America
Regional – KM² Solutions is proud to announce the expansion of two BPO contact centers located in the Caribbean and in Central America… more
Finance, technology expert to open Emancipation lecture series
Trinidad and Tobago – When the Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago launches its Kwame Ture Memorial Lecture Series at the Central Bank tomorrow, at 5 pm, the spotlight will fall on Wale Idris Ajibade, international finance expert and executive director of African Views, who will deliver a profound and thought-provoking multimedia presentation on the theme Global Africa: Unlocking the Future through Culture and Technology, a release said… more
Govt to meet on Cyber-Crime Bill today
Trinidad and Tobago – The concerns raised over the Cyber-crime Bill 2015 will be discussed this afternoon at a Government caucus at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair… more
Prakash: New security measures for prisons
Trinidad and Tobago – SCANNERS and cameras are part of the heightened security measures expected to be installed soon at the Remand Prison, Golden Grove, Arouca, where five prison officers and seven inmates were injured during a confrontation on Wednesday… more
Friday, 19 June 2015
Cable Bahamas turns it up with a ‘Turn Us On’ Jam Fest at Fort Charlotte on June 20
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas has announced that its intensive “Turn Us On” mobile campaign will climax with a celebration at Fort Charlotte on Saturday, June 20, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m… more
Cable Slams URCA On ‘Languishing’ 27% TV Price Increase
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas’ chairman has accused the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) of allowing its application for a 27 per cent basic pay-TV price increase to “languish with no end in sight”… more
Court of Appeal Dismisses Speednet Claim
Belize – The two telephone companies were before the Court of Appeal which today concluded its second session for this year… more
Court Upholds PUC Fees Per Channel
Belize – Attorney Lumor says the Court of Appeal helped to settle a major issue discussed in the court below – the exact meaning of the word “channel” as used in the schedule to the 2002 Telecommunications Regulations on Licensing, Classification and Fee Structure… more
The Battle For Channel 5 Going to The CCJ
Belize – The battle over ownership and control of the Channel 5 TV Station is going to Caribbean Court of Justice. That’s what the attorney for the current government controlled BTL asked the Court of Appeal today to allow… more
PUC Objects To PUC Fees
Belize – Earlier in the newscast, we told you about BTL’s legal fight over who owns Channel 5. Well, there was another case from the Court which involves the other telecoms company, Speednet, better known as “Smart”… more
Telemedia to Argue Divestment Case at the CCJ
Belize – The other case had to do with Belize Telemedia Limited and it involved a process which was more of a formality than anything else… more
Cuba announces expansion of public Wi-Fi services
Cuba – Cuba’s telecom company ETECSA has announced the setting up of 35 Wi-Fi public areas in early July throughout the island, which will increase local people’s access to the Internet… more
BUSINESS BYTE: Turn on your Digicel phone and win big
Dominica – With summer on the horizon, Digicel today announced the return of its “Turn it On Dominica” promotion, which gives customers the opportunity to win loads of prizes… more
Digicel Moves To Set The Record Straight
Jamaica – The Editor, Sir: I feel compelled to respond to the latest public relations spin by LIME/Flow in the column titled “Flow Asserts Merger Benefits” (published on June 15, 2015) and to set the record straight… more
Digicel rolls out $30-m ‘Mega Money Summer’ promotion
Jamaica – TELECOMS company Digicel as rolled out a new summer promotion which will give more than 130,000 of its customers a chance to share $30 million in cash and prizes… more
US wants to triple call centre employment in Jamaica
Jamaica – UNITED States Ambassador to Jamaica Luis Moreno sees call centres as a growth industry for Jamaica and, as such, wants to triple employment in the sector, hopefully within a year… more
Cable & Wireless brings advanced telecom services to underserved markets in Caribbean, Latin America
Regional – British telecommunications company Cable & Wireless Communications plc (CWC) has its corporate headquarters in London but manages all operations in the 42 Caribbean and Latin American nations it serves from Coral Gables… more
Caribbean moving to IPv6…slowly
Regional – In the Caribbean, we routinely use our smartphones, tablets, laptops and other connected devices for work, play and everything in-between… more
Flow Rewards ‘Fantastic 14’
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – The fourteen winners in the ‘Fantastic 14’ promotion mounted by Columbus Communications (St.Vincent & the Grenadines) Limited (FLOW), a telecommunications service provider that offers this country’s sole Cable TV service, have been named… more
Trinidad: Probe cyber attacks on journalists
Trinidad and Tobago – THE Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT) yesterday called on the Trinidad and Tobago Police Services to swiftly investigate the report made by Express investigative journalist Denyse Renne against talk show host Marcia Braveboy… more
Saturday, 20 June 2015
Barbados government to address cell phone use in schools
Barbados – Minister of education, science, technology and innovation, Ronald Jones, has hinted that changes will be coming in September to address the use of cell phones in schools in Barbados… more
Govt reconsidering cellphone ban
Barbados – Minister of Education Ronald Jones believes current policy governing cellphone use in schools is contradictory since it suggests one set of rules for teachers and another for students… more
New technology policy coming for schools
Barbados – THE BARBADOS GOVERNMENT could be easing restrictions on the use of cell phones in schools from September… more
HBO hosts premiere at Pegasus
Jamaica – SEVERAL selected members of the media were special guests at an HBO Latin America premiere held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, yesterday… more
JLS Receives Computer Software Valued at $131.85 Million
Jamaica – The Jamaica Library Service’s (JLS) information and communications technology (ICT) project, currently being developed, has been boosted with the provision of computer software, valued approximately $131.85 million (US$1.13 million), by Microsoft Jamaica… more
Video-Link System For Jamaican Courts
Jamaica – Jamaica’s judicial system is now weeks away from having at its disposal a remote video-link system that will allow vulnerable victims and witnesses in highly sensitive cases to give their evidence from a location other than a courtroom… more
Digicel and Microsoft team up for email solutions
Trinidad and Tobago – In this technological age, imagine your worst fears realised—your e-mail account has been hacked! Someone has been sending e-mails from your account! …. more
MATT wants swift probe on attacks against journalists
Trinidad and Tobago – The Media Association of T&T (MATT) has called on the T&T Police Service to swiftly investigate threats of murder, physical assault, nuisance legal action and cyber bullying against journalists… more
Sunday, 21 June 2015
ICT – The Current State of Affairs
Guyana – I must say that my ego and general sense of worth and contribution got quite a nice boost by virtue of the article I wrote last week on the potential of ICT to play a significant part in the development of Guyana, and the brief introduction to some of the policy-related measures that should be introduced to move the nation in the required direction… more
IT can rescue Jamaica, says Paul Buchanan
Jamaica – AT least one Member of Parliament is calling on the Government to explore using information technology (IT) to lift the country out of its economic stagnation… more
Using technology to work smarter, not harder
Jamaica – Productivity is not just about doing more. It is about creating more impact with less work. ~ Prerna Malik… more
Image credits: Mars Hill Church (flickr); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
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