Archive for May 18th, 2011
DoE to host marine conservation celebration
(CNS): After twenty five years of battling to conserve the country’s struggling marine resources, the Department of Environment is hosting a Marine Parks Open House staring next Monday at the George Town Library. Everyone is invited to tour the exhibits showcasing the work done by the Department of Environment and view the children’s poster competition entries. There will also be a boat christening ceremony for the latest addition to DOE’s enforcement fleet.
Join department staff from 4:30 p.m. when the exhibition opens. Official announcements will follow at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free and refreshments will be served.
LIME bringing 4G to CI
(CNS): Local telecommunications firm LIME has announced its intention to roll out its 4G network service in Grand Cayman by September. The superfast technology will transform life in the Cayman Islands, general manager Tony Ritch (left) said at a glitzy launch at the Ritz CArlton on Tuesday evening. He said that after forty five years in Cayman the firm had introuced many 'firsts' and this one was particularly impressive. As well as downloading and browsing at lightening speeds on mobile phones, he said, this new generation technology could offer untold opportunities for business and the private sector.
The local LIME boss said that third generation technology was not enough for Cayman and that the company recognised the need for more sophisticated technology in this jurisdiction, which was why it intended to move straight from the current EDGE service to 4G to "future proof" the firm's network. The Cayman Islands is the first jurisdiction in the Caribbean where LIME intends to launch 4G, the very latest in communication technology.
“Life in 4G is going to be amazing,” Ritch told the audience, which cheered with appreciation at the announcement. “It is fast, really, really fast. It will blow your mind.”
He explained that the new technology would allow people to pull up immense amounts of data on mobile devices. He said the download and browsing speeds would surpass the type of broadband speeds people are currently used to at home, giving them greater possibilities on the go. “The technology is seamless with no hitches or delays,” Ritch added. “It’s about being connected all the time at higher speeds.”
Talking about the evolution of mobile technology in such a short space of time, he said that just six years ago a one megabyte file would take 6 minutes to download, With 4G technology it would be less than a second.
Ritch said that the decision to move to 4G was as a result of the demand in the Cayman Islands and the continued growth on the local mobile network, as well as the introduction of technologically sophisticated hand held devices such as 4th generation phones and tablets. “It’s about redefining mobility,” he said as he explained the time line for the implementation of the service.
LIME will be rolling out the network in phase one across all of Grand Cayman, which should be completed by September, Ritch said, adding that the network upgrade will be completed across Cayman Brac and Little Cayman by very early next year.