The Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organizations (CANTO) and the Internet Society have joined forces to promote Internet development and education programs in the Caribbean region.

After years of collaborating on a wide range of programs, including a successful SPAM workshop conducted by the Internet Society at a CANTO event in the Bahamas, this new agreement will formalize the work between the two organizations.

CANTO, which started in 1985 as a state-owned telecommunication operators’ organization in the Caribbean, is now a leading trade association in the ICT sector committed to helping operators and its members take advantage of and embrace the possibilities that the Internet brings.

Regenie Fräser, Secretary General of CANTO, commented, “The Internet is a key instrument to foster economic and social development, but it is not always well understood by all stakeholders. Some stakeholders may be experiencing the Internet as disruptive to their traditional business model. This agreement with the Internet Society will give us the opportunity to level up our partnership, and help us assist our region and members in getting up to speed on Internet matters and challenges, such as IP numbering, VoIP blocking, and cybersecurity.  I look forward to continuing our excellent work with the Internet Society.”

A global organization with more than 65,000 members, the Internet Society promotes the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet for everyone.  The Internet Society is also the organizational home of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the Internet’s premier standards organization.  With its focus on Internet technology, policy, and development, the Internet Society is well equipped to help CANTO achieve its goals.

“This partnership will give the Internet Society the opportunity to show its commitment to the Caribbean area,” said Sebastian Bellagamba, Internet Society Regional Bureau Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.  “We are aware of the challenges that are important for the Caribbean; for example, we know that hackers are quite active here. Through this partnership with CANTO, we will have the opportunity to address real world challenges and help to increase awareness of critical Internet issues and opportunities in this beautiful region.”