in jeopardy of ending last week. But fears were quickly dashed as the Ministry of telecommunications won another major round in the battle it faces with local carriers.

The decision handed down last week by Puisne Judge Vincent Meerabux allows the continuation of the low 44 cents a minute long distance rate introduced by Logic Phone early this summer.

Long distance carriers Cable & Wireless and TeleBermuda had filed writs with the Supreme Court in late June, opposing a decision by Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb who announced her decision to allow Voice Over The Internet Protocol (VIOP) on June 8.

"The judge basically threw out the case,'' Ms Webb triumphantly told reporters at a press conference held yesterday.

She said that Mr. Justice Meerabux had ruled that the carriers had no grounds on which to lodge their case and upheld that she had the authority to make the decision. The writs filed were two pronged contesting Ms Webb's decision to allow VOIP and her right to make the decision.

"The court upheld that we did indeed have jurisdiction over that,'' she said.

Neither Cable & Wireless nor TeleBermuda would comment on the decision yesterday but Ms Webb said: "I think there might be an appeal, I'm not sure, they usually appeal.'' GOVERNMENT GVT