IMPROVING the Caribbean’s ability to access connectivity and data will take centre stage at the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organizations’ (CANTO) 38th annual trade exhibition and conference in Miami, Florida, which started on Sunday and runs until Thursday.

C&W Communications, operators of Flow, Flow Business, C&W Business, and BTC, has renewed its commitment to serve as headline sponsor, which the company has done consecutively since 2019.

The annual event brings together regional heads of state and government, along with regulators, telecom operators, and other key stakeholders, to network and build alliances, review policy, and share best practices as these relate to the regional telecoms sector.

The 2023 conference will be held under the theme of ‘Fostering a Resilient Datasphere for All’ and will advocate for more inclusive policy frameworks within the region’s digital ecosystem that will help to drive growth and innovation, and promote safe universal connectivity and a secure and resilient datasphere.

The backdrop for the four-day event will be JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa, one of South Florida’s premier destinations.

“C&W Communications remains focused on enhanced access to digital connectivity in the region and to enabling our customers to connect to the people and things they love. Our ongoing support for regional platforms like CANTO underscores our commitment to providing safe, efficient, and reliable connectivity across the region,” said Inge Smidts, CEO of C&W Communications.

“Through our regional initiatives, like JUMP, we are working with Caribbean governments, regulators, and stakeholders to connect the under-connected and to ensure that more of the region’s households have access to the digital universe through data connectivity at affordable prices,” added Smidts.

JUMP is an initiative by C&W Communications to help bridge the digital divide and foster greater digital inclusion the Caribbean, which still has less than 65 per cent broadband penetration, with 27 million users from a total combined population of 44 million.

C&W Communications will also host several discussions and events during the conference to spotlight important industry topics, including Developing Frameworks for Smart Cities; Telehealth; Cybersecurity and Gender; Transitioning from Telco to Techco; Digital Governance; and Enabling the Digital Revolution through Narrowing the Digital Divide – JUMP, A Success Story.

Featured company speakers include keynote speaker John Winter, chief legal officer; and Aamir Hussein, chief technical officer for Liberty Latin America, parent company of C&W Communications; as well as Sameer Bhatti and Stephen Price, managing directors of Flow’s Bahamas operations, BTC, and Flow Jamaica, respectively.

CANTO is a non-profit association made up of operators, organisations, companies, and individuals primarily focused on leading the information and communications technology (ICT) sector across the Caribbean region and the Americas.