A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 15 August to Sunday 21 August 2016.
Monday, 15 August 2016
Airport Wi-Fi no longer totally free
Antigua and Barbuda – For arriving and departing passengers at the VC Bird International Airport, Wi-Fi will remain free, but only up to a point, and then they would have to pay for the service… more
BTC must amend RAIO, URCA says
Bahamas – The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) has published its final determination, imposing obligations on the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) to make changes to its Reference Access and Interconnection Offer (RAIO)… more
Dissatisfied GT&T retirees to lobby Pres. Granger for their correct pensions
Guyana – Workers, who continued unbroken services from Guyana Telecommunications Corporation (GTC) to the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T), are preparing to take their concerns about the inaccurate pensions to President David Granger… more
Marketing Strategies Today: Why mobile marketing cannot be ignored
Regional – Mobile marketing can imply one of two things. At one point it referred to the activity of marketing on a mobile device such as a cell phone… more
‘Cybercrime Bill will stifle free expression’
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Regional and international media organisations have expressed their disappointment that the St Vincent and the Grenadines Parliament had given the green light to a Cybercrime Bill that they say would stifle free expression… more
Cybercrime law adopted in Saint Vincent and Grenadines is fundamentally flawed
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – We the undersigned organisations defending freedom of the press and access to information are deeply concerned by the cybercrime law adopted today in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines…. more
TATT told not to approve mobile license
Trinidad and Tobago – THE Communication Workers Union (CWU) is calling on the Telecommunications Authority (TATT) to nullify the application for a third mobile licence by other entities… more
Tuesday, 16 August 2016
Huawei Marine and Belize Telemedia to deploy 32Tbit/s cable
Belize – Huawei Marine Networks has teamed up with Belize Telemedia to build a 24km undersea cable system connecting Belize and the island of San Pedro to enhance connectivity to the country… more
BVI takes major step towards improved broadband
British Virgin Islands – Though late, the British Virgin Islands has taken a major step towards the provision of better broadband services using LTE technology, commonly marketed as 4G LTE… more
eGov Jamaica and Ministry of Finance set to sign MOU
Jamaica – will benefit from a US$35 million loan from the World Bank when it signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Finance and Planning on August 25, 2016… more
C&W BUSINESS ANNOUNCES B2B-SPECIFIC CALL CENTRES
Regional – The business arm of Barbados’ leading telecommunications provider has announced a dedicated support service for its corporate clients… more
Opposition says Cybercrime law takes St. Vincent ‘several steps backward’
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – The main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) is warning that if the Cybercrime Act 2016, passed in Parliament last weekend is assented to, it would take St. Vincent and the Grenadines “several steps backward”… more
St. Vincent and Grenadines adopts cybercrime law
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – The International Press Institute (IPI) yesterday joined human rights defenders in a call on St. Vincent and the Grenadines to repeal a new cybercrime law that they said poses “a serious threat to freedom of the press, the free flow of online information, and public debate”… more
Academy focussing on ICT development
Sint Maarten – The academic section of St. Maarten Academy will be placing heavy focus on the development of Information Communication Technology (ICT) at the institution over the next two years… more
Wednesday, 17 August 2016
SMART announces unlimited broadband
Belize – SMART, via press release this morning, announced the launch of its new Broadband Unlimited Internet Service, which offers high quality, wireless Internet to Belizean homes and businesses… more
British Virgin Islands awards 4G spectrum to Digicel, CCT, Flow
British Virgin Islands – The British Virgin Islands has granted LTE spectrum in the 700MHz, 1900MHz and AWS bands to CCT, Digicel and Flow… more
Cable & Wireless Jamaica Returns To Losses
Jamaica – Cable & Wireless Jamaica (C&WJ), which trades as Flow Jamaica, posted a loss of $695 million the June first-quarter 2016, or more than double the net loss a year earlier, despite double-digit growth in revenues and mobile subscribers… more
New council member for ECTEL
Regional – Minster for Economic Development, Housing Urban Renewal, Transport and Civil Aviation Hon. Guy Joseph, is the new representative for Saint Lucia on the Council of Ministers of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL)… more
Thursday, 18 August 2016
URCA CEO doubts second mobile rollout could be faster
Barbados – EO of NewCoLimited2015 (NewCo) Damian Blackburn yesterday assured Guardian Business that the company is “fully funded” to begin and complete the rollout of its mobile phone services in accordance with the terms of the license issued on July 1, 2016, by the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA)… more
Huawei and Belize Telemedia team to deploy Belize to San Pedro Island undersea cable system
Belize – Huawei Marine Networks Co. Ltd. and Belize Telemedia Ltd. (BTL) will collaborate on deployment of a new undersea cable system… more
Huawei Marine Partners with Belize Telemedia to Deploy New Undersea Cable System
Belize – Huawei and Huawei Marine Networks Co. Ltd. , a global submarine cable network provider – have teamed up with Belize Telemedia Ltd. (BTL) to build an undersea cable system that will connect Belize mainland and San Pedro Island… more
British Virgin Islands awards LTE spectrum
British Virgin Islands – LTE is set to launch in the British Virgin Islands after the telecoms regulator announced the award of spectrum to operators Caribbean Cellular Telephone (CCT), Digicel and Flow… more
Caribbean Entrepreneurs to Benefit from World Bank Group’s First Online Course on Crowdfunding
Regional – Caribbean entrepreneurs are set to benefit from the World Bank Group’s premier free online course on crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is an Internet-enabled way for projects or businesses to raise capital from a large group of people, pilot new entrepreneurial ideas, and grow small and medium-sized enterprises… more
LACNIC On The Move Rolls Into Dominican Republic, As Santo Domingo Hosts Internet Week
Regional – Tech experts from Latin America and the Caribbean will gather in Santo Domingo this month for an important meeting of the region’s Internet community… more
Liberty could be eyeing more mergers after C&W acquisition – analysts
Regional – Analysts say Liberty Global, the international cable giant that recently bought Cable & Wireless for $5.3 billion, could be eyeing more mergers and acquisitions in the hemisphere… more
Scotiabank recognized as world’s best consumer digital bank in Latin America, Caribbean and Canada
Regional – Scotiabank has been recognized by Global Finance magazine as the 2016 World’s Best Consumer Digital Bank in Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada… more
blink | bmobile partners with NIHERST on Science Initiative
Trinidad and Tobago – A study conducted by the US Department of Commerce in 2015 revealed that new occupations in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) have been growing at a rapid rate of 17% in comparison to other fields where occupations showed a 9.8% growth rate… more
Friday, 19 August 2016
Cable Bahamas ‘Close To’ $50m Preference Goal
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas finished “close to target” on its recent $50 million preference share offering, Tribune Business was told yesterday, even though its local placement agent raised just 25 per cent of its US dollar goal… more
BTL Still Bringing Back Services
Belize – And while we mostly talk about the damage Hurricane Earl did to residences, but what about businesses which lost phone and internet service? … more
GT&T, govt to begin negotiations next month on monopoly status
Guyana – Negotiations with the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) to end its monopoly on international voice and data are expected to begin next month and conclude by year-end, according to adviser to the Minister of Public Telecommunications, Lance Hinds… more
Mobile devices possibly taking a toll on mental health- top health official
Guyana – The widespread use of mobile devices by youths may be depriving youths of opportunities to “offload” their problems in face-to-face communication, making them more vulnerable to suicide, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Karen Boyle said Friday… more
Opposition calls for repeal of cybercrime bill
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – A member of the Special Select Committee of Parliament that reviewed the controversial Cybercrime Act is calling for a repeal of the legislation… more
TelEm to start migration to new local/intl. switch Sunday
Sint Maarten – TelEm Group’s technical division plans to “migrate” residential and business customers in St. Maarten from the company’s outdated CS2K switch to a brand new Metasphere Softswitch… more
Saturday, 20 August 2016
Mobile Private Investor Plans ‘Still Proceeding’
Bahamas – Plans to ‘buy’ the Government out of its current 51 per cent majority ownership in the Bahamas second mobile operator are “still proceeding as planned”, with potential investors set to be approached next month… more
BUSINESS BYTE: Digicel Launches Exciting Back to School Promotion
Dominica – Digicel on Friday, launched its exciting back to school promotion which will reward students with a host of amazing prizes, including free internet subscriptions, data plans, tablets, laptops, stationary vouchers and more – to set them up for success for the new school year… more
Digicel Play Spoilt Rio Coverage
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: I am an avid athletics fan, and so the Olympics is a major highlight for me. I am unable to view the Olympics, however, because of the substandard service I have been receiving from Digicel Play… more
Kandyss makes strides in business technology
Trinidad and Tobago – AT the age of 17, sixth former Kandyss Trancoso decided to turn her penchant for business and technology into something tangible and formed Royalink Ltd… more
Sunday, 21 August 2016
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Image credits: Dennis Skley (flickr); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
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