Regional telecommunications giant Liberty Caribbean has hailed the 40th annual CANTO Conference and Trade Exhibition as an overwhelming success, marking a turning point for regional digital collaboration.

Themed ‘Towards a Unified and Sustainable Caribbean Gigabit Society’, the landmark gathering at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar brought together more than 700 delegates from over 50 countries, including heads of state, regulators, technology companies, and government ministries. 

The forum addressed critical priorities ranging from intelligent infrastructure and affordable broadband access to cybersecurity, AI, climate resilience, and economic inclusion.

“We stand at an inflection point. We have the vision, and now we must translate our dialogue into public-private partnerships, joint infrastructure projects, and policy frameworks that will deliver a truly gigabit-enabled Caribbean – resilient, inclusive and sustainable by design,” said Inge Smidts, chief executive officer, Liberty Caribbean. 

“As headline sponsor, Liberty Caribbean is deeply committed to shaping a fast, fair, and future-ready digital future for every community. This conference has shown us the power of united action – now it’s our shared responsibility to build on this momentum.”

Smidts highlighted six strategic focal areas to bring this vision to life: universal gigabit connectivity for education and healthcare; cloud-enabled public services; IoT innovation in hospitality and tourism; robust, hurricane-resilient networks; green digital infrastructure; and equitable access for all citizens.

As headline sponsor, Liberty Caribbean hosted a series of sessions focused on digital sustainability, cybersecurity in the age of AI, infrastructure innovation, broadband inclusion strategies, and fostering an inclusive digital economy. 

Featured voices from Liberty Caribbean included regulatory leaders, technology leaders, general managers, and the Liberty Caribbean Charitable Foundation – all demonstrating how cross-sector partnerships can power the next generation of Caribbean connectivity.

With the success of CANTO 2025, Liberty Caribbean reaffirmed its dedication to translating conference dialogue into measurable action. By investing in future-ready infrastructure, resilient cybersecurity frameworks, and community-driven digital access, the company aims to make the vision of a gigabit-enabled Caribbean a living reality.

“Let this fortieth anniversary on CANTO be more than a milestone. Let it be a launchpad as we step confidently into a unified and sustainable Caribbean gigabit society. We are stronger island to island, shoreline to shoreline, when we stand together,” added Smidts.

The Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organisations (CANTO) is the region’s foremost ICT association, uniting regulators, operators, government leaders, and technology providers since 1985 to foster policy, investment, and innovation in telecommunications and digital services across the Caribbean.