Log In

Reset Password
BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

Telecom providers say 'Govt must speak' over Digicel deal

Telecoms providers banded together today to demand Government break its wall of silence over Digicel's long-distance service.Vicki Coelho, general manager of Internet service provider North Rock Communications, said: "If the Government fails to act it will make a mockery of the regulatory process in which the industry has participated.”She said: “Given that the Government policy and carriers' licences have not changed, we request that Minister Roban take appropriate action to bring order to our industry.“Government needs to make clear that Transact cannot provide long distance services to CellOne customers.Logic Communications CEO Sheila Lines was also at the press conference, as well as the heads of TeleBermuda International and CellOne.Ms Lines said the Supreme Court ruling yesterday said ISPs can connect with cell companies to provide long distance, however: “This ruling is in contrast to the ministry's previous statements barring other Internet service companies from doing exactly that in advance of regulatory reform.”Ms Lines said “we have repeatedly asked the Ministry for clarification and to date have received no indication that the rules had changed.”TBI president Greg Swan said: “We believe that neither Digicel nor Transact are licenced to offer a long distance service and it is in contravention of both their various licences for either or both of them to do so.”CellOne said it is “looking to the DOT to clarify its position regarding this significant change to the regulatory lansdscape imposed by the court yesterday.”Digicel last night claimed overall victory in yesterday's proceedings, declaring the Supreme Court “ruled in favour of Digicel in response to allegations that Digicel is illegally offering long-distance services. Digicel was totally successful in defending the right of Transact to offer a long-distance telephone service to customers in Bermuda in competition with TBI and LinkBermuda. The judge (Puisne Judge Ian Kawaley) accepted that Digicel was entitled to market this service under the Digicel brand name.”Digicel added: “Specifically regarding TBI's injunction against Digicel which would have prevented Digicel from carrying long-distance traffic to Digicel Bermuda customers this injunction has failed. Indeed, it is Digicel's view that the application was wholly misconceived and constituted an abuse of process.”However, TBI said it still intends to pursue its legal action against Digicel at a hearing next week.Digicel and Transact also yesterday had applied for an injunction compelling CellOne to provide its customers with interconnection to the Digicel network so they could subscribe to the new Digicel/Transact long-distance service.In his ruling Puisne Judge Ian Kawaley essentially put the ball in the Government's court, urging specifically the Minister of Tourism and International Business Patrice Minors and/or the Environment Minister Walter Roban, to speak up within a week if they don't think what Digicel is doing is within its licence.