Trinidad & Tobago to issue 3rd mobile license this year – Trinidad & Tobago
Cable & Wireless, Ericsson, Cisco partner to boost Caribbean IP networks – Regional
One Caribbean Media buys Green Dot controlling stake – Trinidad & Tobago
Cap Haitian Port CCTV tender deadline extended again – Haiti
Telefónica reportedly revives plans for infra unit IPO – Regional

Trinidad & Tobago to issue 3rd mobile license this year – Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad & Tobago’s telecoms regulator TATT plans to tender a third mobile license this year, acting CEO Cynthia Reddock-Downes was quoted as saying by the Trinidad Guardian.
Speaking at an event to celebrate World Telecommunications and Information Society Day, the executive recognized that there was competition in the fixed-line market with TSTT, Flow and Digicel providing residential and business services. There are also eight cable TV operators.
Reddock-Downes said that the significance of having a third mobile operator would be to improve quality of service. Currently there are two operators, bmobile, which is the mobile brand of TSTT (jointly owned by the state and Cable & Wireless Communications) and Digicel.
The executive said that TATT is also working on amendments to the 12-year old Telecommunications Act.
Nikolaski Ali, who is a board member at TATT, said that mobile broadband subscriptions have grown from 75,444 in 2012 to 433,915 at the end of December 2015.
According to TATT’s 1Q16 market report, in March there was a mobile broadband penetration of 48.6% and a fixed broadband penetration of 67.4%.
At the beginning of August, Trinidad & Tobago cable operator One Caribbean Media (OCM) agreed to buy a 51% stake in digital cable TV and broadband internet services provider Green Dot Limited.

Cable & Wireless, Ericsson, Cisco partner to boost Caribbean IP networks – Regional
Press Release
by Ericsson
August 30
Ericsson and Cisco Systems today announced an agreement to supply and install IP networks for C&W Communications, which operates the retail brand Flow, in three Caribbean markets. The plans include an upgrade to the IP backbone network in the Bahamas to improve performance and support an increase of traffic, and a new business-to-business IP/MPLS network in Jamaica and Barbados.
The partnership is part of C&W’s investment plan for the region to continue transforming its customer experience. As part of the partnership, Cisco will provide the necessary hardware while Ericsson will provide project management services.
“We needed a powerful and intelligent solution to bring IP networking to both Jamaica and Barbados, while at the same time improving the IP network in the Bahamas,” says Carlo Alloni, Executive Vice-president and CTIO, C&W.
“This partnership will allow us to offer even more value-added services including our world class IPTV services as well as introduce more innovative solutions to our customers.”
“Our teams complemented each other with the right approach, from network analysis and planning to systems integration and customer support from Ericsson, to selecting the right routers and switches from Cisco, and finally ensuring the right flow along every step with Ericsson services,” says Clayton Cruz, Vice President Ericsson Latin America and Caribbean. “The partnership has delivered real value to Cable & Wireless in terms of accelerating their IP transformation by combining end-to-end business transformation competence and experience with deep product and domain expertise.”
The deal includes Cisco routers and switches (ASR9000, ASR900 and WR4500 families), supply and installation of NMS system (EPN-M), overall project management, and customer support.
“Cisco and Ericsson working together have the combined breadth, depth and lifecycle engagement required to help operators like Cable & Wireless succeed in their transformation to an IP-centric network,” says Jordi Botifoll, Cisco President Latin America & Senior Vice President in the Americas. “Working together on this project will lead Cable & Wireless to a standardized approach across other markets, so that all their business-to-business and IP fixed networks will be supported by IP/MPLS, helping them do things better and faster.”
Ericsson and Cisco – two industry leaders in the development and delivery of networking, mobility, and cloud – formed a global business and technology partnership in November 2015 to create the networks of the future. The partnership offers customers the best of both companies: routing, data center, networking, cloud, mobility, management and control, and global services capabilities. The next-generation strategic partnership will drive growth, accelerate innovation, and speed digital transformation demanded by customers across industries. The first product from the partnership, Ericsson Dynamic Service Manager, was announced in February 2016. To date, over 200 active customer engagements have now started to turn into won deals. Multiple deals, spread around the world, are in IP (routing and transport) and services. The companies announced deals with 3 Italy, Vodafone Portugal and Aster Dominican Republic earlier this year.
The Cisco-Ericsson partnership has been cleared by Brazilian regulatory authorities and will be implemented there under local agreements.

One Caribbean Media buys Green Dot controlling stake – Trinidad & Tobago
On August 9, the story entitled “One Caribbean Media buys Green Dot controlling stake”, attributed market dominance to Trinidad & Tobago operator TSTT without mentioning that there are other market players in the fixed line and mobile segments. Also the story appeared to suggest that Flow TV is a part of TSTT, which it is not. Flow TV is owned by Cable & Wireless, which is joint owner of TSTT. A modified version of the story follows:
One Caribbean Media (OCM) has agreed to buy a 51% stake in Trinidad & Tobago digital cable TV and broadband internet services provider Green Dot Limited, OCM said in a statement.
Green Dot has operated in Trinidad for over 10 years and recently expanded to Suriname and Grenada.
OCM emphasized that key management of Green Dot would be retained. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval.
OCM is publically traded on the stock exchanges of Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados.
According to telecoms regulator TATT’s 2015 market report, as of December, 2015 Trinidad & Tobago had eight cable operators, which also provide fixed internet services, of which almost 100% are broadband subscriptions.

Cap Haitian Port CCTV tender deadline extended again – Haiti
The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has again extended the deadline for a tender to supply a CCTV system in the Cap Haitian Port, likely due to an absence of bidders.
Bids can be now submitted to UNOPS by September 21, according to a procurement notice on UN’s Development Business website. Previous deadlines were August 11 and August 4.
The call is for installation initially of four threat detection CCTV cameras for perimeter coverage, but that number might grow up to 12.
Proposals must be sent in sealed envelopes to UNOPS Haitian office or via email to HTOCPROC@UNOPS.ORG.
Specific details can be found here. More information on the bidding documents can be found at the UNOPS site.


Telefónica reportedly revives plans for infra unit IPO – Regional
Telefónica has revived plans for an IPO for its network infrastructure unit Telxius as stock markets recover from the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, Bloomberg reported, citing sources close to the matter.
The IPO was originally planned for July. According to the report, Telefónica has asked banks to update details in investor presentations, and that meetings could start next week.
Telefónica has a growing 50bn-euro (US$57bn) debt. The IPO is expected to raise up to 1.5bn euros.
Telefónica created Telxius in February to improve the profitability of its networks by renting them out to third parties.
Telefónica’s largest rival in Latin America, América Móvil, spun off its infrastructure into a separate rental company, Telesites, which began operations in December.

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