some carriers are breaching licences By Deidre Stark As technology blurs lines between traditional telecommunications services it seems the Government is barrelling towards a showdown with some carriers.

A spokesman for international carrier Cable & Wireless confirmed yesterday potential business customers for a new range of Internet protocol services had been approached -- and dismissed claims this would breach its Class A licence.

But that stance appears to be at loggerheads with Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb's comments in the House of Assembly on Friday.

The Royal Gazette has learned details of the international carrier's bold "prospecting'', with some business clients claiming they were even given a date early next month when the service was to be switched on.

Those details emerged on the same day Ms Webb told the House of Assembly of the Government's tough stance on breaches of the licensing system and her ongoing efforts to sort out the problem.

"The situation is we have international carriers who would like to provide Internet services within Bermuda,'' she said. "But their licence says they can provide Internet services to and from and through Bermuda but not within Bermuda.'' In contrast, Class C licence holders were permitted to sign up Internet customers in Bermuda but had to use the circuits of carriers like Cable & Wireless with its Class A licence and BTC with its Class B licence.

"What has come about is that each of them wants to protect their own turf and also get a piece of the others' turf,'' she said.

And Ms Webb also said the current ban on offering low-cost overseas calls through Internet protocol equipment was being ignored by some carriers which were not licensed to carry voice.

"The decision has been made so if anyone is in breach of the current policy then they are currently breaking the law,'' she said.

"And I need to make it clear because I was told that there are carriers that are performing activities that are not under their licence.'' Ms Webb did not return calls from The Royal Gazette to further clarify the issue.

Internet service provider North Rock Communications general manager Tom Coelho welcomed Ms Webb's comments in the House. In a statement issued on Friday he said Ms Webb's remarks indicated the PLP Government's position was that "international carriers can provide services only to and from Bermuda but not within Bermuda''.

"The Minister stated that she wanted to see Bermuda businesses thrive and her policy supports that goal. The statement represents a strong reaffirmation which ensures that a fair competitive landscape will exist in Bermuda.'' Last week the Telecommunications Ministry also fired off terse notices to all carriers to rule out any confusion.

The notices said Class A licencees like Cable & Wireless could set up Internet access points within Bermuda but it was "not within the authority ...to provide the customer interface for Internet services within Bermuda''.

"It is the Department's view that the customer interface must in principle be with carriers holding Class B or Class C licences.'' But Cable & Wireless chief Eddie Saints said on the weekend he was confident the range of new services utilising Internet protocol would not contravene its licence.

He said the company was not looking to offer Internet as such but a range of services utilising the Internet protocol method of offering services.

"Bermuda-based businesses both international and local are demanding such services in order to be able to remain competitive,'' he said.

"We are constantly evaluating new data services as part of C&W's global expansion into integrated communications including voice, data, and imaging.

"C&W Bermuda will be extending our existing portfolio of international data communication services utilising Internet protocol to offer a new range of voice and data communications including private networks for companies.'' A C&W spokesman explained the company's stance: "What exactly is the Internet anyway? It's not really a definable thing.'' "Just because we would be using Internet Protocol that doesn't mean we're offering what is traditionally regarded as the Internet,'' he said.

But a technical expert dismissed the hair splitting as ridiculous: "To say that would not be offering the Internet is ludicrous,'' he said. "If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and smells like a duck then it is a duck.'' Renne Webb Eddie Saints