offered licences to set up shop.

And a third -- which was offered a licence several months ago -- has been formally signed on as a new service provider.

The news was announced last night by Technology and Information Minister John Barritt who made his decision upon receiving recommendations from the Telecommunications Commission.

Bermuda Digital Communications Ltd. (BDCL) and North Atlantic Communications Ltd. (NACL) received the offers of licences while TeleBermuda International (TBI) was given its licence.

Mr. Barritt said: "I am delighted to be able to move the process of reform a step further on today.

"Bermuda, like most technologically advanced nations in the world, is committed to the liberalisation of telecommunications regulation, which has been made necessary by rapid advances in technology.'' TBI will now compete with Cable and Wireless in the provision of a long-distance service. It is in the process of laying a new underseas telephone cable from the east coast of the US to Bermuda.

BDCL will offer cutting edge cellular technology while NACL will compete with the Bermuda Telephone Company as a full-service provider using fibre- optic technology.

This was good news for Bermudians, said Mr. Barritt.

"We expect that in the longer term, the process of reform will result in lower telecommunications prices and better service for Bermudians.'' NACL president Barry Kayes -- whose company recently formed an alliance with BDCL -- said he was "obviously very pleased'' at the decision.

"We have a lot of work to do now,'' he added, as one of the conditions of the license is that the company has a year to get their operation up and running.

Neither BDCL chief operating officer Michael Leverock nor TBI president Mike Kedar could be reached for comment last night.