A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 1 August to Sunday 7 August 2016.
Monday, 1 August 2016
High-speed data connection collapses causing major delays in check-in at Guyana’s key airport
Guyana – Passengers leaving Guyana are experiencing flight delays and cancellations due to a collapse of the high-speed data link that serves the check-in system at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), officials said Monday… more
USF Provides $430 Million For ICT Infrastructure Development In Tertiary Institutions
Jamaica – The Universal Service Fund (USF) has provided nearly $430 million in information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure development support for several tertiary institutions over the past four years… more
Tuesday, 2 August 2016
BTC urges URCA to adopt ‘ex post’ regulatory measures
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) approved of the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority’s (URCA) proposal to “liberalize” its authority in the electronic communications sector in an effort to promote more competitive behavior among those entities with significant market power (SMP) for mobile services… more
FLOW’s Rio App goes live today
Jamaica – Telecommunications firm FLOW’s FlowRio2016Extra App for mobile devices goes live today… more
Flow To Hike Prices For Some Phone And Internet Packages
Jamaica – Telecommunications company, FLOW, says it will increase the prices for some of its Internet and phone packages as of September 1… more
Code of Practice on Safeguarding the Open Internet signed at CANTO 2016
Regional – Day one of the ongoing CANTO 32nd Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition which is currently taking place at the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel and Casino from July 31st – August 5th was full of thought provoking and forward thinking discussions, presentations and panels… more
C&W Networks at CANTO: Future-Proofing Caribbean Region by Driving Industry Innovation With Network Certifications
Regional – 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, now part of Liberty Global (LiLAC Group), is pleased to announce that it has received the MEF Carrier Ethernet 2.0 (CE2.0) industry standard certification for E-LINE, E-LAN, E-TREE and E-ACCESS services… more
Marketing Strategies Today: Your YouTube videos might suck
Regional – YouTube is top of the video-viewing world. People from all walks of life are using YouTube to post and watch videos to expand their reach… more
TSTT transforming into agile broadband company
Trinidad and Tobago – TSTT has started its transformation from a traditional legacy telecommunications company into an agile broadband communications organisation… more
Wednesday, 3 August 2016
Antigua ups ante with US over gaming dispute
Antigua and Barbuda – Antigua’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne has instructed his country’s Ambassador to the United States (US) to resume negotiations over the cumulative loss from a 2003 gaming dispute and warned that failure to reach agreement would lead to possible enforcement options including the suspension of protection of US intellectual property rights… more
US firm first to provide film and broadcast services in Cuba
Cuba – Cuba International Network (CIN) recently became the first US company authorized to set up shop in Cuba to provide equipment and personnel there to support the production of broadcasting, television and filming of video content for consumption in the US and international markets… more
C.H. Robertson | Digicel Play A Customer Service Nightmare
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: It is out of sheer frustration that I am forced to write about the poor service I have received from Digicel… more
Flow promises customers unforgettable experience with ‘Rio2016Extra App’
Jamaica – Telecommunications firm Flow yesterday officially launched its Rio2016Extra App for mobile devices which will offer customers another exciting option to experience the Olympic Games in Brazil…more
BUSINESS BYTE: ‘New’ C&W communications poised to support region to achieve tech leadership
Regional – “Cable & Wireless Communications, (C&W), is now part of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international cable television company… more
CANTO 2016 Leading the Discussion on ICT for the Region
Regional – Delegates in any room on day one of the conference would have experienced and interacted with some of the region’s leading thought drivers and policy makers where ICT is concerned… more
More CANTO Members Sign Code of Practice
Regional – In a historic moment at the 32nd CANTO Conference and Exhibition in Puerto Rico a significant number of CANTO members signed the Code of Practice for safeguarding the open Internet… more
‘NEW’ C&W COMMUNICATIONS POISED TO SUPPORT REGION TO ACHIEVE TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP
Regional – “Cable & Wireless Communications, (C&W), is now part of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international cable television company. Liberty brings global strength, innovation and experience, and combined with the deep historic roots, and long tradition of Cable and Wireless, along with the spirit of entrepreneurship of the former Columbus Group, creates a telecom leader that will continue to transform the region through sustained investment and development”; so said John Reid, acting CEO C&W Communications, at the recently held 32nd Annual CANTO 2016 Conference and Trade Exhibition in San Juan, Puerto Rico… more
Success from the Start at CANTO 2016
Regional – If the opening ceremony is to be an indication of what is to be achieved by the end of the Conference, the Caribbean is in good hands and ICT will continue to be a major pillar for future development… more
OCM to buy stake in Green Dot
Trinidad and Tobago – One Caribbean Media Limited (OCM) has entered into an agreement to purchase a 51 per cent stake in Green Dot Limited, providers of digital cable tv and broadband internet services… more
Thursday, 4 August 2016
5 Caribbean Countries With The Highest Cell Phone Subscriptions
Regional – When it comes to mobile cell phone subscriptions, 5 countries in the Caribbean outnumber others, according to the latest data from the ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database… more
Caribbean gains dividends from digital switchover
Regional – A shift from analog to digital television broadcast in the Caribbean could be a big boost for local content creators looking to produce and distribute original programs… more
CARIBBEAN: Telecom providers sign code on Open Internet
Regional – More than 10 telecommunication providers in the Caribbean have signed a Voluntary Code of Practice on Safeguarding the Open Internet… more
Ministers and Hackathon share Tuesday Focus at CANTO 2016
Regional – The Ministers and the Millennials shared the stage at CANTO 2016 on Tuesday August 2nd, the second day the ongoing CANTO 32nd Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition which is currently taking place at the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel and Casino from July 31st – August 5th… more
‘New’ C&W to be region’s technology leader
Regional – ”Cable & Wireless Communications, (C&W), is now part of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international cable television company… more
TelEm Group CEO spot still ‘in limbo
Sint Maarten – Government, as shareholder of TelEm Group of Companies, is in disagreement with the Corporate Governance Council (CGC) over the screening process of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) candidate picked by Government… more
Banking on the go
Trinidad and Tobago – Electronic banking (eBanking) is a growing trend in Trinidad and Tobago (TT) and if banks are to remain competitive, they need to offer customers secure, reliable, easy-to-use online services… more
Friday, 5 August 2016
Cybercrime Bill sent to Special Select Committee
Guyana – The Cybercrime Bill of 2016 was presented and read for the first time in the National Assembly yesterday by Attorney General Basil Williams.. more
GTT offers free data for mobile customers
Guyana – GTT customers have been experiencing difficulties in using the *100# system to recharge their accounts, buy data plans and access other services including After Two Belongs to You (AF2)… more
GTT’s services back at “full strength,” Cheddi Jagan Int’l Airport’s automatic check-in system working again
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) said that as of 7 AM on Friday, August 5, 2016 all its services have been restored to “full strength.” … more
Lasco Financial Grows Telecom Division To 12 Locations
Jamaica – Lasco Financial Services Limited (LFL) grew its phone sales division to a dozen locations during the first six months of launching the service, which contributed to the company nearly doubling the LFL staff count… more
Sandals launches phone app
Jamaica – Sandals Resorts International has upgraded its guest offerings with the launch of stage one of its newly developed phone application now available for download at iPhone and Android app stores… more
Cable & Wireless Reports Preliminary Q1 2016/17 Results
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communications Limited (“CWC”) is a leading telecommunications operator in substantially all of its consumer markets, which are predominantly located in the Caribbean and Latin America, providing entertainment, information and communication services to 3.7 million mobile, 0.4 million television, 0.6 million internet and 0.8 million telephony subscribers… more
CANTO 2016 – “Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Through Sustainable Strategic Partnerships
Regional – CANTO continues to be a driver for ICT in the region and the proceedings over the last three days will stand as testimony to the various ways in which CANTO continues to pursue its mandate… more
CWC sales flat at USD 574 mln, net loss widens in Q2
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), part of Liberty Global’s Latin American and Caribbean group (LiLAC), reported revenues of USD 573.6 million on a rebased basis in its fiscal first quarter ending 30 June, down 0.3 percent on the year-earlier result of USD 583.0 million due to declines in Barbados, the Bahamas and Trinidad & Tobago… more
ECTEL chairman promotes the benefits of new legislation
Regional – Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL), Senator Dennis Byron, says that the new Electronic Communications Bill for Eastern Caribbean States is designed with best intention to serve the public interest, while offering service providers with opportunities to do business in our markets… more
Local record producer supports digitalisation of Caribbean Music
Regional – With the shift towards the digital music industry, local musician and record producer, Laul Thomas has expressed his support for digitising Caribbean music in order to compete with the international market… more
Liberty Global’s LiLAC group adds 46,000 RGUs in Q2
Regional – Liberty Global’s Latin American and Caribbean group, or LiLAC, reported a year-on-year rise in total customers and revenue-generating units of 1.3 million and 1.9 million respectively in the second quarter after closing the acquisition of UK-based telecoms group Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) for around USD 7.4 billion in May… more
Challenging times for telecoms providers
Trinidad and Tobago – LIBERTY Global plc, the new owner of Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC)—which owns 49 per cent of telecoms provider TSTT—confirmed on a conference call with investors yesterday that TSTT has been generating lower revenue growth… more
Saturday, 6 August 2016
Ashcroft demands BTL Payment in US dollars; Belize economy in crisis
Belize – In August of 2009, the Government of Belize (GOB) nationalized the Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) from a group of companies controlled by British Billionaire Michael Ashcroft… more
Guyana tables Cybercrime legislation
Guyana – The Guyana government has introduced a Cybercrime Bill to the National Assembly and immediately asked that it be sent to a Special Select Committee… more
Digicel Sorry For Service Foul-Up
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: I write in response to the letter titled ‘Digicel Play – a customer service nightmare’, which was published in The Gleaner on Wednesday, August 3, 2016… more
FLOW’S Sinclair Backs Universal Access To Games
Jamaica – Jamaicans are often so focused on the sport of track and field during the Olympics that it is sometimes easy to forget that the Games features an array of sports… more
Flow takes hit in video subscribers
Regional – Telecommunications giant Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), which operates here as Flow, is blaming a rise in competition and a tough economic environment for a fall in the number of its video subscribers here and in Trinidad and Tobago during the first quarter of its 2016/2017 financial year… more
Sunday, 7 August 2016
CONSUMER CONCERNS…Telecoms liberalization; enforcement; GTT opens new front
Guyana – The recent passage of the Telecommunications Bill in Parliament and the concomitant liberalization of the Telecoms Industry is a very important news event. From the time of the establishment of the Telecoms monopoly, the Guyana Consumers Association (GCA) has been struggling against its iniquities as the records of the Public Utilities Commission will attest… more
Image credits: journalismthatmatters (flickr); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
