Author: ttcsadmin

  • TSTT to announce $79 TT per month for unlimited ADSL?

    TSTT to announce $79 TT per month for unlimited ADSL?

    According to the October 1st, 2007 press release, TSTT has announced it is completing its broadband infrastructure upgrade and plans to introduce unlimited ADSL as low as $79 TT per month. Wow. Wonder what is going to happen to regular dial up pricing? Surely, it can’t stay at $300 TT for TSTT unlimited dialup.

    Edit (11pm) :  TSTT is to market the new broadband launch as Blink Broadband with speeds up to 10MBits. And the $79 TT amount is a initial promotional offer.

    Text of TSTT October 1st, 2007 press release :

    On October 1st, TSTT entered the final phase of its multi-million dollar broadband infrastructure upgrade that will see the company ramp up its customer broadband capacity to over 100,000 ports within a 4-month period. The project will ultimately deliver broadband access speeds of up to 10Mbps and reach every Exchange in Trinidad and Tobago. Trevor Deane TSTT’s Executive Vice President Broadband Services says that with the upgrade, TSTT will be able to extend the distance limitations that were a feature of its current High-Speed Internet offering. “We have invested in ‘future proof’ technologies that are versatile enough to support current and emerging technologies. Modernising our infrastructure and completing our Metro Ethernet fibre distribution network will mean the sky is the limit for business and residential users.”

    Deane says the upgrade has enabled TSTT to quickly reach critical mass and customers will soon see a value proposition that will be hard to resist. “The final numbers are still being crunched but we are going after an extremely competitive price point with rates for unlimited monthly broadband access starting as low as $79 a month! This is Broadband redefined.”

    Deane says TSTT is very excited about these developments. “Broadband access is the single most important growth area in the communications industry because of the transformative power it has in business and social spheres.” He explains that TSTT is laying the ground work for customers to use broadband access for entertainment, research and education, communication, buying and selling, accessing Government services, health care and much more.

    Deane is confident that TSTT’s macro broadband initiative will single-handedly give Trinidad and Tobago a quantum leap forward. “While we have placed a lot of emphasis on the wired network, we are simultaneously developing our wireless broadband coverage so there will be virtually universal affordable broadband access throughout Trinidad and Tobago, a feat that few anywhere else in the region can boast about.”

    The service will be rolled out in three phases. Customers serviced off the West, San Juan and Diego Martin exchanges will be included in the first phase, while the second phase inclusive of four more exchanges is due to begin by mid November.

  • TTCS Software Freedom Day 2007 video

    TTCS Software Freedom Day 2007 video

    At the recent Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) Software Freedom Day event on September 15th, 2007, Mike Tikasingh recorded some video footage with a camcorder. Thanks to Mike’s hours of editing, we have a 18 minute video of the TTCS Software Freedom Day 2007 event which also features the TTCS new logo!

    The video is available in three formats :

  • TTCS meeting on Saturday 29th September 2007 from 1pm to 4pm

    TTCS meeting on Saturday 29th September 2007 from 1pm to 4pm

    The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) will be having a meeting on Saturday 29th September 2007 from 1pm to 4pm at Engineering Consultants, at 112A Edward Street, Port of Spain. (located at the corner of Oxford and Edward Street).This meeting will be an opportunity for those unable to attend the TTCS Software Freedom Day event on September 15th, 2007 as we will be repeating some of the presentations made on Software Freedom Day .

    We will be :

    – giving an overview of what is free and open source software
    – demonstrating Ubuntu, a popular Linux-based operating system bundled with many applications.
    – demonstrating the TTCS OSSWIN CD, a CD of over 100 free and open source programs for Windows

    Attendees can get a TTCS OSSWIN CD and a Ubuntu CD for $20 TT ; schools and other educational institutions can get these free of charge, provided an email is sent before Saturday).

    Anyone who uses a computer is welcome to attend. Attendance is free.

    See you there!

  • Bitdepth column #595 on TTCS Software Freedom Day 2007

    Bitdepth column #595 on TTCS Software Freedom Day 2007

    Mark Lyndersay’s latest Bitdepth column #595 for Tuesday 25th September 2007 is online featuring the Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society’s Software Freedom Day meeting on September 15th, 2007.

    (Edit 28/9/2007 : corrected date of BitDepth column)

  • Teen charged with hacking into Attorney General’s computer??

    Teen charged with hacking into Attorney General’s computer??

    Saw this news item in the Wednesday September 19th, 2007 Trinidad Express newspaper :

    Teen charged with hacking into AG’s computer
    Wednesday, September 19th 2007

    A TEENAGER has been charged with hacking into the internet account of the Attorney General’s office.

    Shezie Huggins, 19, yesterday appeared before Magistrate Ejenny Espinet in the Port of Spain First Magistrate’s Court.

    Huggins is alleged to have illegally attained and used the internet account of Attorney General John Jeremie on two separate occasions.

    The incidents are said to have occurred on July 31 and August 1, respectively.

    Huggins, who was represented by attorney Sean Cazabon, pleaded not guilty to the two charges.

    The court heard that police officers entered the Diego Martin home of Huggins’ parents and seized the family computer he is alleged to have used.

    The case has been adjourned to November 20.

    A few observations :

    • It doesn’t mention it, but this is probably the second time in Trinidad and Tobago’s history that someone has been charged under the Computer Misuse Act.
    • The headline is inaccurate, according to the article, the person used the internet account of the Attorney General, not “hack” into the AG’s computer.
    • Is the internet account of the Attorney General’s office a dialup account?!!!

  • TTCS Software Freedom Day preparations update – meeting on Sept 9th, 2007

    TTCS Software Freedom Day preparations update – meeting on Sept 9th, 2007

    Meeting on Sept 8th, 2007 went well and the TTCS will be having a meeting on Sunday 9th, 2007 at ENCO from 10am to continue preparatory work for Software Freedom Day on September 15th, 2007.

    You can read a summary of what happened on Sept 8th, 2007 and other TTCS SFD preparations at the TTCS SFD wiki page.

  • TSTT defers implementation of Single National Rate

    TSTT defers implementation of Single National Rate

    TSTT’s website has this short press release regarding the Single National Rate (SNR) :

    TSTT defers implementation of the Single National Rate

    Trinidad – TSTT today announced its intention to defer implementation of its proposed Single National Rate plan. The current rate structure will remain in place until further notice.

    TSTT has pledged to continue its commitment to implement pricing plans based on customer preferences which deliver exceptional value to its customers.

    Wonder if this is a rethink by TSTT to implement SNR at all, or was this this due to TATT’s objections (not in principle about SNR but how TSTT went about doing it). Or maybe enough customers (including government) complained once they did the math and realised that the cost of business would increase with the proposed SNR.

    See  related blog posts :

  • TTCS Software Freedom Day 2007 flyer

    TTCS Software Freedom Day 2007 flyer

    The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society Software Freedom Day event flyer (PDF ; 180K) has been uploaded. Print and redistribute! Also see the TTCS wiki page on SFD to keep track of the TTCS preparations for the event.

    TTCS Software Freedom Day 2007 flyer

  • TTCS Software Freedom Day event on Saturday September 15th, 2007

    TTCS Software Freedom Day event on Saturday September 15th, 2007

    The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS), will be having a tech meeting on Saturday September 15th, 2007 from 1pm to 6pm at Hand, Arnold (Trinidad) Limited, El Socorro Road Extension, El
    Socorro, San Juan (View satellite image at http://tinyurl.com/knbef)

    We will be celebrating Software Freedom Day 2007, a global, grassroots effort to educate the public about the benefits and availability of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS).

    Anyone interested in computing and related technology are welcome to attend this event. While stocks last, attendees will receive the TTCS OSSWIN CD and Ubuntu CDs (or any Linux distro) free of charge. Additional linux distros can be obtained for $5 TT each.

    Some of the activities planned at this meeting include :

    • demoing open source software (OSS) for Windows from the TTCS OSSWIN CD .
    • demoing Ubuntu , a popular Linux distribution.
    • how to install Ubuntu on your Windows PC (dual booting).
    • how to use a Linux “live” CD (no need to install Linux on a hard drive).
    • how to do common computing tasks using Linux and open source software.

    Please let us know via email at admin at ttcsweb d.o.t org if you are attending and what distros you may be interested in getting) so we can prepare the venue accordingly.

    See you there!

  • TTCS meeting on Saturday September 8th, 2007 – Software Freedom Day 2007 event preparations

    TTCS meeting on Saturday September 8th, 2007 – Software Freedom Day 2007 event preparations

    The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS ; http://ttcsweb.org/) will be having a meeting on Saturday September 8th, 2007 from 1pm to 6pm at Engineering Consultants at 112A Edward Street, Port of Spain (corner of Oxford and Edward Streets).

    We need your help at this meeting to prepare for Software Freedom Day (SFD) on Saturday Sept 15th, 2007. SFD is a global, grassroots effort to educate the public about the benefits and availability of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS).

    In order to make SFD a great experience for those learning about Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) for the first time, we need to:

    • make a flyer about TTCS, TTCS OSSWIN CD, Ubuntu and Open Source.
    • make a flyer to promote the Software Freedom Day event
    • test machines which will be used for SFD. Minimum of three PCs needed, so far.
    • test a PC with Ubuntu installed.
    • practice how to do various tasks in Ubuntu that persons on other OSes are accustomed to.(e.g. common internet tasks, playing media content, installing a printer, etc).
    • have a Windows PC to show how to dual boot with Ubuntu or another “live”/hard drive-installed Linux distro.
    • have a Windows PC to demo Open Source Software for Windows (Microsoft Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, XP).
    • have a Windows Vista PC (if possible) to demo Open Source Software on this latest OS.
    • if possible, have a laptop running Ubuntu to show how it works on such a device.

    Linux/OSS fans, Windows users, Mac users, anyone is welcome to assist ith this project. If you can help us with these tasks, have ideas, suggestions, would like to volunteer to help with SFD 2007, then email the TTCS at admin at ttcsweb d.o.t org. Let us know if you will be attending the TTCS meeting on Saturday September 8th.