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History
CANTO was founded in 1985 as a trade association to serve the needs of telephone operating companies in the Caribbean. This initiative marked the first time that Caribbean operating companies had come together to independently address a wide array of telecommunication issues of mutual concern. CANTO was registered in 1999 under the laws of Trinidad and Tobago as a non-profit organization and its Secretariat was established in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
By the late -1990’s it became clear that the convergence of technologies, inevitable liberalization of the telecommunication sector and global trends were having a profound effect on telecommunications. These along with the customer awareness and preferences for enhanced value added services in telecommunications were collectively contributing to the evolution of the telecommunications sector.
In recognition of these changes, in 1999 CANTO established an Associate Membership category to include membership from other players in the telecommunications sector. The membership is now open to service providers, equipment suppliers, consultants, government ministries and departments, educational institutions, other telecommunication organizations and major users of telecommunication services
CANTO's objective, then and now, is to establish a forum through which Caribbean telecommunication organizations may exchange information and expertise pertaining to the telecommunications field, generate inputs for orderly growth of the sector, formulate policy and consider matters of mutual interest to its members. The organization seeks to encourage and contribute to constructive dialogue between its members and policy administrators involved in creating the appropriate framework for the telecommunications sector in the Caribbean.
Over the past twenty-seven years our membership has grown from nine members in nine countries in 1985 to 111 members in 32 countries in 2011. CANTO is now recognized as a major trade association in the telecommunication sector, not only in the region but also internationally. We network with other telecommunication organizations such as Caribbean Telecommunication Union (CTU) and Comisión Inter-americana de Telecornunicaciones (CITEL) and are members of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
A Board of Directors appointed by the membership directs the policy strategy of the Association. This strategy is executed by the staff of the Secretariat. The Association's activities are financed through the contributions of the members
