A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 18 July to Sunday 24 July 2016.
Monday, 18 July 2016
BVI pushes for next-level internet development
British Virgin Islands – The British Virgin Islands is stepping up efforts to get the most from its internet infrastructure… more
Landmark legislation passed to liberalise telecoms sector; concerns raised about 4G quality
Guyana – Guyana will for the first time in its 50-year history as an independent nation operate with a fully liberalised telecommunications sector, with Monday’s parliamentary passage of a modern telecoms law… more
Digicel Chairman Shatters Negative Perceptions of Haiti’s Technological Potential
Haiti – The Caribbean island nation of Haiti is often overlooked for its capabilities in the technology and outsourcing sphere, mainly due to a gross misconception that the island had no internet and that nobody spoke English… more
Marketing Strategies Today: Incredible Marketing: Pokemon Go for business explosion
Regional – The Pokemon Go App is no more than just a week old and, since its official release last July 5, there has been around 7.5 million of users that have downloaded this game… more
Government pleased with renovations at ICT Centre
Saint Kitts and Nevis – THE Government’s thrust of developing Information Communication Technology in the Federation has received a boost as one of its three pillars is nearing completion… more
blink | bmobile, Huawei offer professionals a phone for all seasons
Trinidad and Tobago – A phone with advanced fingerprint sensor technology that provides a heightened level of security; a heavy duty battery that lets you go two days without recharging; and a special feature that saves the information from your acquaintances’ business cards… more
Free WIFI, lower Internet rates
Trinidad and Tobago – The government of Trinidad and Tobago is moving toward providing free island wide WIFI access… more
T&T expects to issue 4G licences in September; number portability delayed again
Trinidad and Tobago – The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad & Tobago (TATT) intends to issue long-delayed 4G LTE mobile licences in September this year, according to the regulator’s director Gilbert Petersen, quoted by TeleSemana… more
Tuesday, 19 July 2016
FTC NO SOAP OPERA, CIRCUS
Barbados – The Fair Trading Commission (FTC) is not and will never be a soap opera, nor will they put on a show like clowns in a circus, by discussing matters that have not yet appeared fully before them, or speak to issues which are currently under discussion… more
All Immigration services to be web only starting Aug. 1
Dominican Republic – All of the Immigration Agency’s services of foreigners’ residency and certificates for Dominicans will be processed digitally through its website starting August 1, director Ruben Paulino announced Tuesday… more
OECS Authority convenes for the first time using video conferencing technology
Regional – The 63rd meeting of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Authority was convened on the July 14, 2016, at the OECS Commission using video conferencing technology for the first time… more
Wednesday, 20 July 2016
IT for teens
Barbados – More than 300 teenagers will have the opportunity to sharpen their computer skills at the IT For Teens summer programme… more
Online shopping forces retailers to change strategy
Barbados – ONLINE SHOPPING has forced local retailers to revisit their way of doing things… more
John Briceño Breaks Down B.T.L.’s Acquisition Cost
Belize – Briceño, during the press conference, also broke down the arbitration award into annual payments, calculating the figure retroactively to the 2009 nationalization of the utility company… more
P.U.P. on B.T.L. Arbitration Award
Belize – The B.T.L. arbitration award, as well as the economic impact of having to dole out hundreds of millions of dollars to compensate for the nationalization of the utility company, remains a matter of national importance… more
Flow president makes the rounds to resolve ICTA issues
Cayman Islands – Flow president Michele English spent two days in a whirlwind of meetings with Cayman Islands government ministers and regulators this week… more
ICTA plans Universal Service Network (USN) for better telecom service
Cayman Islands – Before year’s end the Information and Communications Technology Authority (ICTA) will be moving to establish a Universal Service Fund (USF) to be used to create a shared Universal Service Network (USN), among other initiatives, to improve telecom services to the Eastern Districts and the Sister Islands… more
Telecoms Bill only first step towards liberalisation – Guyana’s phone companies
Guyana – The two main phone companies say they are now awaiting government’s next move to end the telephone monopoly, with the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) saying it wants its contract with the Guyana government honoured… more
IOC AWARDS 2018-2020 BROADCAST RIGHTS IN THE CARIBBEAN
Regional – IMC has acquired the broadcast rights on all media platforms in all languages in the following 22 territories… more
Thursday, 21 July 2016
Prison boss raises concern over inmates’ use of cellular phones
Antigua and Barbuda – Witness tampering is a growing concern for local law enforcement agencies as the unlawful use of cellular phones inside Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) persists despite frequent searches and confiscation of numerous devices… more
Concerns about cell phones in the workplace
Barbados – CELLULAR PHONES HAVE been blamed for a lot of time wasting in the labor force… more
Expedia reports increase in travel demand for Barbados
Barbados – Expedia group, one of the world’s leading travel companies, has reported that travel demand to Barbados on all Expedia sites grew nearly 30 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the same time in 2015… more
Phone slaves
Barbados – The increasing use of mobile phones on the job is responsible for a lot of time wasting in the labour force, a leading trade unionist and human resources expert said Thursday… more
Main points of the BTL Accommodation Agreement Signed between Belize Telecommunications Limited and Said Musa on September 19th 2005
Belize – The Musa administration sold properties to the tune of 19.2 million dollars to BTL… more
Flow boss aims to settle regulator issues
Cayman Islands – ollowing recent reports of disputes between Flow and both the Information and Communications Technology Authority (ICTA) and Department of Immigration, the firm’s president, Michele English, was in the Cayman Islands this week meeting with government officials to resolve the issues relating to human resources, technical concerns and the acquisition of the parent company, Cable & Wireless, by Liberty Global… more
Digicel ‘ready to compete’ with GTT in Guyana
Guyana – The South American state of Guyana is set to end the monopoly of fixed telecoms services, with mobile player Digicel ready to compete with Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) following the passing of a new law… more
Fund to finance telecoms services in uneconomical areas
Guyana – Communities across the country with no access to telecommunication services will soon be accommodated through a special fund to be set up, as part of the provisions under the recently approved Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill 2016… more
GTT set to roll out new services
Guyana – Improved and new services will be rolled out in the coming months, with the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector on the horizon, now that the Telecommunication (Amendment) Bill 2016 has been passed in parliament, Chief Executive Officer of GTT Justin Nedd has said… more
Guyanese parliament greenlights long-awaited telecom reforms
Guyana – Guyana’s long-awaited Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill has been passed into law after narrowly clearing a parliamentary vote, with 33 MPs in favour and 32 against… more
Passed Telecoms Bill 2016…Bring it on!
Guyana – With the passage of the Telecoms (amendment) Bill of 2016 on Monday, opportunities for investors have been increased. It also means that companies such as Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) will have to stay on top of their game, against the competition likely to come as the sector becomes more liberalized… more
CARICEL says nothing in OCG’s report to affect its telecom licences
Jamaica – Symbiote Investments says that the report tabled in the House of Representatives on Tuesday by Contractor General Dirk Harrison (OCG) has not raised any new material that should cause the government to resile from the decision to grant the company telecommunications licences… more
Don’t Resile From Signing Licence – Symbiote Attorney
Jamaica – Attorney for Symbiote Investments Limited Patrick Bailey has raised concerns about the publication of adverse findings by the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) in relation to the company before it was given an opportunity to be heard by the proper authorities… more
Banks abandon the Caribbean, local bitcoin exchange experiences 33% increase in users every month since February
Regional – Smaller, poorer countries are being abandoned by big banks in an exodus commonly referred to as “de-risking” or “de-banking.” … more
Sandvine Enables Turnkey Deployments of Free Basics by Facebook for Digicel
Regional – Sandvine, (TSX:SVC) a leading provider of intelligent broadband network solutions for fixed and mobile operators, today announced that it has enabled seven turnkey deployments of Facebook’s Free Basics platform for Digicel in the Caribbean and Latin America region, with more coming soon… more
Trinidad & Tobago Telecom Operators Sign Code of Practice
Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad & Tobago Telecom Operators, Digicel and TSTT signed the Code of Practice on Wednesday 20th July, 2016… more
Friday, 22 July 2016
BTC and COB Sign $50K Memorandum
Bahamas – The brainchild of three College of The Bahamas students moved a significant step closer to becoming a reality, thanks to the necessary funding through a $50,000 Memorandum of Understanding between COB and BTC… more
Nearly two years later, BTC deal still secret
Bahamas – Nearly two years after the government signed an agreement with Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) for the Bahamian people to regain just under two percent of shares in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), Prime Minister Perry Christie has yet to table that memorandum of understanding in Parliament despite repeated pronouncements that he would do so… more
CELL PHONES CAN NEGATIVELY AFFECT WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY
Barbados – While technology may boost a company’s productivity in some ways, it is hurting it in others… more
GOB, Ashcroft Alliance challenging BTL compensation in separate cases
Belize – According to the Government of Belize, it has found errors with the rate of exchange applied by the tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration applied for the final figure of compensation due on Belize Telemedia Limited as well as incorrect calculation of interest, and is now seeking rectification of the amount, which it now concedes resulted in prejudice to the country and larger sums being handed over than are justified… more
Government is Headed to CCJ for Interpretation of B.T.L. Arbitration Award
Belize – Just when you thought that the B.T.L. acquisition fiasco had been settled, the Ashcroft Group and the Government of Belize are headed back to the courts for an interpretation of the arbitration award… more
Maya and GOB back before the CCJ
Belize – The Toledo Maya and the Government of Belize were back before the Caribbean Court of Justice via teleconference from Belize City on Tuesday, July 19, 2016, as the court continues to play an important role in helping the parties resolve a land rights dispute that has been ongoing for decades… more
Cuba’s first e-commerce website under development
Cuba – Fuego Enterprises, Inc., a diversified holdings company focused on business opportunities in Cuba and the United States, is positioning itself to enter what many predict will be the biggest market in the Caribbean: online classified ads and e-commerce in Cuba… more
Businesses Warned To Take Cybersecurity Seriously
Jamaica – t’s an increasing concern worldwide and, as it turns out, here in Jamaica. So the Jamaican Government has rolled out a $15-million education programme aimed at combating cybercrime – a problem that bears a US$3-trillion price tag worldwide… more
Questions over future of Jamaica’s third mobile network
Jamaica – The launch of Jamaica’s prospective third cellular network has been put in doubt after the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) released a study which recommended that the government should not sign off on its mobile licence… more
CW Networks selects Cologix to unlock traditional connections between the Americas
Regional – Cologix™, a network neutral interconnection and data center company, announced today that C&W Networks, a subsidiary of Cable & Wireless Communications, (C&W), one of the largest full service communications and entertainment providers in the Caribbean and Latin America region, has invested in the most advanced data center in its region by deploying a Point of Presence (PoP) in Cologix’s JAX1 data center in Jacksonville (Florida) to further enhance C&W Networks’ ongoing commitment in offering customers multiple routes for their traffic ecosystem and a robust industry leading network… more
Saturday, 23 July 2016
BTL Compensation Award Update
Belize – The Government of Belize (GOB) informs that a dispute has arisen between the Government and the Ashcroft Alliance over the recent BTL compensation award handed down by the Permanent Court of Arbitration… more
Praising Digicel Customer Service Agent
Jamaica – I would like to offer sincere thanks and appreciation for the extraordinary customer service that I received from Davian Edwards of Digicel’s broadband Internet services a few days ago… more
Sunday, 24 July 2016
Up to 400 minutes to call the Dominican Republic offered by LlamaRepublicaDominicana.com as a Facebook Prize
Dominican Republic – No matter the personal background, fathers are always key figures in their stories. To celebrate these childhood heroes, LlamaRepublicaDominicana.com invites its customers to travel back into the past, through a nostalgic Facebook contest, challenging them to remember one important lesson their fathers taught them… more
New complaints service at CONATEL
Haiti – The Executive Body of the National Telecommunications Council (CONATEL) informs the population of the creation of a telecommunication services consumer protection cell to receive complaints or grievances and monitor them… more
DBJ ignites innovation in entrepreneurship
Jamaica – The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) will pay out $72 million in grant funding to recipients of the Innovation Grant from New Ideas to Entrepreneurship programme (IGNITE)… more
Images credit: (Mick Baker)rooster (flickr); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
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