A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 11 November to Sunday 17 November 2019.
Monday, 11 November 2019
Boost for Digicel data customers
Trinidad and Tobago – Digicel Trinidad and Tobago has announced the rollout of its LTE Advanced (LTE-A) mobile network, an upgrade from its LTE network. The upgrade promises customers maximum speeds of 190 megabits per second (Mbps)… more
Flow to review its networks in effort to address service delivery issues
Jamaica – Telecommunications company Flow has undertaken a comprehensive review of its mobile and fixed networks as it implements improvement plans to address recent service delivery issues… more
Health + Tech | Implantable Devices And Healthcare Management
Jamaica – Implantable devices are not a new concept in healthcare. For decades, people have been kept alive by devices like pacemakers that assist the heart to function, for example, and orthopaedic devices that assist in fusing bones and joints displaced through injury… more
NCU to discuss smart learning technologies
Jamaica – Several local and international experts in instructional technology will be among the presenters at Thursday’s symposium to be hosted by the Distance Education Centre at Northern Caribbean University under the theme, ‘Distance Learning: The New Classroom’… more
Tuesday, 12 November 2019
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA TELECOMMUNICATIONS MARKET-2019 TRENDS, OUTLOOK AND GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES OF MOBILE, FIXED LANDLINE AND BROADBAND MARKETS
Antigua and Barbuda – The Antigua & Barbuda Telecommunications Market report – 8th series from provides a complete view of the Antigua & Barbuda telecom ecosystem along with trends and growth factors shaping the future of the market… more
Aliv celebrates successes as it turns three
Bahamas – Aliv celebrated its three-year anniversary yesterday as the newest mobile communications company to the market. Chief Aliv Officer Damian Blackburn explained that the company has in that time acquired more than 170,000 customers and holds an estimated 37 percent of the mobile market as of 2019… more
Aliv: Yields Up By 10% In One Year
Bahamas – Aliv’s top executive yesterday revealed that per customer revenue yields have increased by ten percent over the past 12 months as the mobile operator moves to “reinvent the store experience”… more
Firm eyeing blockchain to increase ease of doing business
Bahamas – A locally domiciled blockchain business is eyeing a doubling of the amount of international business companies (IBCs) and smart funds registered in The Bahamas, by using its one-of-a-kind platform to cut down business registration, compliance checks and incorporation to a matter of hours… more
New digital forensic hub on the cards
Cayman Islands – A new digital forensic hub is in the works to tackle the growing number of cybercrimes engaging the attention of the police… more
Dominican Republic banks are lagging behind the digital race
Dominican Republic – In the world there are banks that are leading the digital transformation, but in Dominican Republic’s case, long lines are still plaguing banking entities because these don’t allow some processes to be totally digital… more
Change Guyana promises cheaper cars, no VAT on mobile data, electricity or water
Guyana – The Change Guyana political party on Tuesday proposed a steep reduction or elimination of a range of taxes as a way of reducing poverty and stimulating private sector-led development… more
Flow says 20,000 Jamaicans expected to go ‘digital’ with Project Rise
Jamaica – THOUSANDS of Jamaicans are being given the opportunity to participate in the digital era with access to affordable smartphones through a pilot programme led by telecommunications provider Flow and its parent company Liberty Latin America (LLA)… more
Holness meets with Huawei execs
Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness visited Huawei’s Shenzhen ICT Industry Exhibition and Digital Transformation Exhibition Halls, and held talks with Peng Zhongyang corporate Senior Vice President and board members, along with other executives of Huawei… more
Williams commits to tackling vandalism of telecoms equipment
Jamaica – Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Fayval Williams has committed to working with colleague ministers to strengthen legislation to fight issues such as theft and vandalism of network equipment across Jamaica… more
CARICOM calls for elimination of roaming charges across region
Regional – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) ministers with responsibility for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have agreed to collectively approach the region’s telecommunications providers to eliminate roaming charges throughout the 15-member grouping… more
Digicel wins again for Fastest Mobile Network, rolls out LTE Advanced
Trinidad and Tobago – Digicel Trinidad and Tobago’s investment in its network is paying off – the telecommunication company has been awarded Fastest Mobile Network for the first half of 2019 by Ookla, a global speedtest service… more
Wednesday, 13 November 2019
Bahamas’ Digital ‘Dare’ Redrafted For Fresh Look
Bahamas – Legislation to regulate the financial technology (Fintech) and cryptocurrency space is being redrafted and will be released for a second consultation round before year-end, it was revealed yesterday… more
NIB Upgrades Hailed As ‘Giant Step Forward’
Bahamas – The Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive yesterday hailed the National Insurance Board’s (NIB) new employer portal as “a giant step forward that could not be better timed”… more
NIB seeking to introduce mobile app for micro-businesses
Bahamas – With the successful launch of its Employer’s Self-Service (ESS) portal pilot phase under its belt, the National Insurance Board (NIB) is now preparing to introduce a more condensed version of the portal in the form of a mobile app for micro-businesses and self-employed people… more
BPO sector reportedly affected by disruptions in service from telecoms providers
Jamaica – Technology Minister Fayval Williams has revealed that she has been receiving complaints from the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector about disruptions in service from Jamaica’s two main telecommunication providers… more
Digital transformation: Where can Jamaica go from here?
Jamaica – In recent months, local business leaders have been talking more about digital transformation and its impact on business. From simply trying to understand what it means, to analysing what it will cost to actually getting started, these conversations all spell a good time for Jamaica… more
Minister: Telecoms customers will continue to have challenges
Jamaica – CUSTOMERS of the country’s two major telecommunications providers will continue to experience some challenges with their services, portfolio Minister Fayval Williams indicated in the House of Representatives yesterday… more
Paymaster partners with ReadyTV
Jamaica – Through the new ReadyCredit bill payment option, customers of Ready TV will now be able to enjoy the ease of access and speed of payment as they top up at any of the 200 Paymaster locations islandwide… more
Technology In Focus | Increasing Business Efficiency With Automation
Jamaica – Many organisations are today bogged down with simple yet mundane and repetitive tasks that can prove time-consuming and negatively affect productivity… more
Telecoms industry needs specialist regulator, says Paulwell
Jamaica – KINGSTON Eastern Member of Parliament Phillip Paulwell says it is now time for the Government to establish a specialist regulator for the telecommunications industry… more
Facing the digital revolution
Regional – We continue to look at some of the key issues surrounding the digital revolution… more
Davyn on cloud nine
Trinidad and Tobago – Converting to the cloud saves a lot. It saves important and sensitive information and documents, even if hardware gets damaged… more
WiPay leads the way
Trinidad and Tobago – Communications solutions provider, bmobile, continues to lead the charge in driving ICT innovation by local companies wanting to stamp their brand on the international map… more
Thursday, 14 November 2019
Govt In ‘Revolutionary’ $30m Digital Overhaul
Bahamas – The $30m project to transform the government’s digital/IT infrastructure was yesterday branded “one of the most revolutionary things that has happened in the country for decades”… more
BELIZE ON ITS WAY TO DIGITIZING THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
Belize – The Ministry of Education is working on digitizing the education system. In this day and age, the ability to utilize technology is an important asset… more
GTT launches +Size Christmas promotion
Guyana – Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) launched its Biggest Christmas Ever, Plus Size Christmas promotion, yesterday, at the company’s main office location at Brickdam, Georgetown… more
Editorial | Remove Roaming Charges And More
Jamaica – The bane of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is its slowness in getting things done, and how little information, including hard data,.. more
Gov’t To Work With Telecoms Stakeholders To Address Service Challenges
Jamaica – Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Fayval Williams, says the Government will be working with telecommunications providers and other stakeholders to address issues impacting service to consumers… more
Mark Wignall | When Social Media Goes Off The Rails
Jamaica – As the Internet exploded exponentially in the late 1990s so did social media in the next decade and beyond. As soon as its marketing potential to build brands and to solidify well-earned reputations was recognized and utilized, so did the downside rear it ugly head… more
OUR concerned about quality of telecoms service
Jamaica – DIRECTOR general of the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) Ansord Hewitt says the agency expects network upgrades by local telecommunications firms, Digicel and Flow, to be carried out with minimum dislocation to customers… more
Stronger Penalties Coming To Deal With Theft Of Telecoms Equipment
Jamaica – Stronger penalties are coming for persons found to have stolen equipment and infrastructure used by telecoms service providers… more
Friday, 15 November 2019
A Beachfront Development in Nassau Is Now the First to Accept and Embrace Digital Currencies for Real Estate Purchases
Bahamas – The Residences at Goldwynn, a sophisticated luxury beachfront condominium and resort development at Cable Beach in The Bahamas, has announced that they are now accepting multiple digital currencies for real estate purchases…. more
Summit sale will allow Cable Bahamas to restart dividend payments
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas is awaiting the formal end-of-year closing of the $332.5 million sale of its Summit Broadband operation in the United States, the company’s Chairman Franklyn Butler told Guardian Business yesterday, adding that the sale will allow the company to restart dividend payments… more
Govt to boost wi-fi access
Barbados – Access to wi-fi can no longer be seen as a luxury, says Minister of Energy Wilfred Abrahams – it is a necessity… more
Flow announces faster, cheaper prices for internet following meeting with Premier
British Virgin Islands – Telecommunications giant Flow has announced that it will be offering faster speeds and cheaper prices for internet service in the British Virgin Islands… more
‘I’m not convinced Freedom of Information Act will make a difference’ — Fraser
British Virgin Islands – Opposition member Julian Fraser has said he believes implementing a Freedom of Information Act will not make a difference in relation to having access to information in the British Virgin Islands… more
Gov’t working to make technology more accessible
Jamaica – Minister of Science, Energy and Technology Energy, Fayval Williams, has promised that the government will be making technology more available to make for easier business transactions in its offices… more
Growth Tech forms subsidiary to offer digital solutions
Jamaica – Growth Tech Ltd has launched a new subsidiary – Brainnboxx Solutions to offer tailored digital products to startups… more
Jamaican regulator tasks operators with addressing QoS
Jamaica – Jamaica’s Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) has ordered operators Digicel and Flow to alleviate “persistent quality of service (QoS) issues”.… more
Young People Introduced To Latest Technology Trend
Jamaica – One hundred young people from Corporate-Area high schools and training centres are being introduced to cutting-edge trends in technology through the staging of the World of Tech Open Day… more
St Kitts and Nevis to host State of the Caribbean Internet Symposium in December
Regional – Across the Caribbean, governments, businesses and citizens are trying to find ways to take advantage of the disruptive effect of new technology. An upcoming symposium in Basseterre, St Kitts, explores the issues, trends and opportunities impacting adoption and development of the Internet in the Caribbean… more
MOU signed between Facey Telecom and Squeeze Cash
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by Squeeze Cash with Facey Telecom Ltd… more
CAL among three shortlisted for business technology award
Trinidad and Tobago – State-owned Caribbean Airlines is among three finalists that have been nominated for the bmobile Business Technology Award… more
Digicel: Customer info remains confidential
Trinidad and Tobago – The Chief Executive Officer of Digicel has assured that the telecommunications giant respects customer information and maintains confidentiality at all times… more
Saturday, 16 November 2019
Wi-Fi at national parks . . . NCC and Digicel providing free internet access to the public
Barbados – The primary gain in installing free Wi-Fi across the island’s parks is that it provides access to all and will also power the new national digital economy, smart cities and a smart Barbados… more
World of Tech Open Day introduces youth to latest technology trends
Jamaica – One hundred young people from Corporate Area high schools and training centres were introduced to cutting-edge trends in technology through the staging of the World of Tech Open Day…more
With Flow, Christmas Only Gets Better!
Saint Lucia – SAINT Lucia’s leading telecommunications company and the island’s only quad-play provider, Flow, has launched its 2019 Christmas campaign boosting up to $50,000 in cash and prizes to be shared amongst new and existing customers… more
Sunday, 17 November 2019
GT&T is delivering less, not doing more
Guyana – Dear Editor, GT&T’s motto is: Do More… more
Hi-Tech JCF
Jamaica – Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson is determined to pull the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) into the age of technology and he has already started to reap the rewards… more
Image credits: rawpixel.com (Pexels); Aliv; Wikimedia Commons; The West Indian; Facebook; Wikipedia
