Bermuda CableVision's general manager Terry Roberson is aiming to put the Island at the forefront of the telecommunications industry after being appointed chair of the board of the Caribbean Cable and Telecommunications Association (CCTA) by an unanimous vote.

Mr. Roberson, who joined CableVision in October 2006 and has more than 30 years' experience in cable television and broadband services, said his new role would enable him to continue to provide the same high level of service in the community as well as to bring in up-to-date training in the latest technology and developments.

He also reckons his Caribbean posting would give him the chance to keep an eye on his counterparts in the other islands and allow Bermuda's telecoms sector to stay one step ahead of the game.

"It gives me the opportunity to see and understand what all the other operators are doing," he said.

"I want our Island to become well-positioned in the marketplace as we move forward."

Mr. Roberson said he was looking at improved video and Internet service speeds and had submitted several applications for faster speeds to the Telecommunications Commission.

"Hopefully we can get these speeds approved, so that we can make sure that we don't fall behind islands like the Bahamas and Jamaica," he said.

"Speeds of 10 to 15 Megs have been talked about and that is something I think you can easily achieve for our Island and something that we are very excited about in the future. It is really the tip of the iceberg for the future of speeds that are required for our younger adults who require more speed for gaming and texting and doing a multitude of things at one time, including homework, researching and social networking."

Mr. Roberson believes Bermuda already holds its own in terms of telecommunications provision and access, but thinks that soon it will be leading its competitors to the south.

"My hope is that people look to Bermuda, not just as an insurance and reinsurance zone, but as a leader in technology," he said.

"CableVision and all the technology companies in Bermuda are positioning themselves to where we will be leading the way in the Caribbean and the reform to come should make for some exciting times ahead."

Mr. Roberson, who has held a number of senior-level positions, both managerial and technical, at numerous US cable companies, while serving as a key contact to Washington DC for the National Cable Telecommunications Association, will be leading the 26-year old association based in St. Thomas, ably-assisted by Brendan Paddick, CEO of Columbus Communications Inc. of the Bahamas, as vice-chair and chair elect; Beulah Jonis, managing director of St. Maarten Cable TV, as past chair; Jose Alegria, managing director of Liberty Cablevision of Puerto Rico, as director and treasurer; David Burrows, director of marketing for Cable Bahamas, as director; WR Ewing, managing director of The Cable on St. Kitts, as director; and Roderich Pietersz, general manager of TV Distribution Systems of Curacao, as director.

"In taking the position of chair of the CCTA, I am committed to continuing its successful initiatives, such as the Community Charities Programme, and the technical and marketing training seminars developed for members," he said.

"One of my goals for the year will be to retain the current membership level of the organisation and strive to attract new members. I am also keen to push forward an agenda to ensure consistency of service for all cable customers in the region in terms of video and Internet service speeds."

In addition, the associate members of the association elected two associate directors to the board - Brad Trullinger, manager of NBCU TV Distribution for NBC Universal, and John Kurpinski, southeast and Caribbean sales manager at AllOptic.