The Utility Regulation and Competition Office (“URCO” or “the Office”) has issued an Amendment to Direction No. URCO/D/2026/2 to Cable and Wireless (Cayman Islands) Limited, trading as Flow, establishing a phased timetable and mandatory consumer-protection measures for the proposed cessation of the candw.ky electronic-mail service.
URCO initially intervened after Flow indicated that it intended to discontinue the candw.ky email service during the second quarter of 2026. At that time, the Office had not received sufficient information concerning the proposed timetable, customer notifications, migration arrangements or support for affected subscribers.
The original Direction prevented Flow from discontinuing, suspending, terminating, restricting, degrading or otherwise impairing the service without URCO’s prior written consent. It also required Flow to continue providing the service while the Office reviewed the matter and considered the protections needed for affected consumers. URCO recognises that the candw.ky email service has been used in the Cayman Islands for several decades and remains connected to the personal, commercial, banking, governmental and healthcare arrangements of many subscribers. An abrupt cessation without adequate notice and migration support could affect access to banking authentication, account recovery, medical communications, public services and other important records.
Flow subsequently submitted information and proposals concerning the closure of the service. In considering those representations, the URCO Board assessed both the disruption that cessation could cause to subscribers and the financial, operational and cybersecurity risks associated with continuing to operate the legacy platform for an extended period.
The amended Direction conditionally permits a phased closure, subject to Flow first meeting specific notification and migration-support obligations.
No later than 31 July 2026, Flow must:
• issue clear public notice that the candw.ky email service will cease and state the applicable cessation dates;
• publish practical guidance explaining how customers can create a new email address, save important emails and attachments, update accounts connected to their candw.ky address and notify their contacts;
• publish contact details for Flow personnel or teams trained and available to assist customers with migration; and
• distribute the required notices and guidance through email, SMS, social media and prominent notices on Flow’s website. Flow must provide URCO with written confirmation and copies of the notices issued by 1 August 2026.
Provided that Flow fully complies with its notification and migration-support obligations by 31 July 2026, outbound candw.ky email services will cease on 31 August 2026. From that date, subscribers will no longer be able to send messages from their candw.ky accounts. Inbound email services will cease on 15 September 2026, after which subscribers will no longer be able to receive new messages through their candw.ky accounts.
Following the cessation of inbound email, subscribers will continue to have readonly access to their accounts to view and download existing emails and attachments. All remaining access to the candw.ky email service will end no earlier than 31 December 2026. If Flow does not complete all required notification and migration measures by 31 July 2026, the outbound shutdown, inbound shutdown and final access dates will each be postponed automatically on a day-for-day basis. For example, if Flow completes the requirements five calendar days late, each of the approved cessation dates will also be delayed by five calendar days.
Flow must also continue issuing reminders about the cessation timetable and migration arrangements through SMS and social media at intervals not exceeding 20 days until inbound email is disabled.
Sonji Myles, Interim Chief Executive Officer of URCO, said: “URCO intervened to ensure that Flow could not proceed with the proposed cessation of this long-standing service without appropriate notice, regulatory review and practical support for affected customers. The amended Direction now establishes clear obligations and an orderly timetable that gives subscribers time to move to another email service and preserve important information.” “We strongly encourage candw.ky customers not to wait until the final dates. Subscribers should begin creating a replacement email address, updating the organisations and accounts that rely on their candw.ky address, and saving any emails, attachments and contact information they may need in the future.”
J. Samuel Jackson, Chairman of the URCO Board, said: “The Board has carefully balanced the needs of consumers against the operational and cybersecurity risks associated with continuing an ageing email platform for longer than is reasonably necessary. The phased approach limits the period during which new email-based threats may arise, while preserving access to historic information through at least the end of the year.” “Flow is required to provide clear notice, accessible guidance and meaningful assistance to customers. The approved dates are conditional upon those obligations being met. If notification is delayed, the cessation dates will move accordingly.”
Continued use of an ageing or unsupported email system may expose subscribers to increasing cybersecurity risks. Once the sending and receiving of new messages has ended, the risk associated with new email-based threats will be reduced, while subscribers will retain a defined period in which to retrieve and preserve historic content. Customers should take steps as soon as possible to create an alternative email address, save important messages and attachments, and update any services that use their candw.ky address. These may include banks, government agencies, healthcare providers, insurance companies, utilities, online subscriptions and personal or business accounts.
Following the final cessation of the service, Flow will also be required to surrender and transfer administrative control of the candw.ky domain to URCO.
The Office will retain the domain as a reserved name and will not permit its registration or use by another party for a minimum period of five years. This measure is intended to protect former users and reduce the risk of the domain being misused after the service closes. URCO will continue to monitor Flow’s compliance with both the original Direction and the Amendment.
Failure to comply may result in enforcement action under the Utility Regulation and Competition Act, the Information and Communications Technology Act and Flow’s ICT Licence, including administrative fines, penalties and other regulatory measures.