BRIDGETOWN, CMC:
CABLE AND WIRELESS' monopoly on the Barbados mobile cellular market ended on Friday as the Barbados Government officially issued three new players and the incumbent new 15-year licenses to compete in the market.
Utilities Minister, Anthony Wood handed top officials from Irish firm Digicel, American telecoms giant AT&T represented by Cellular Communications and Sunbeach, a locally-owned Internet service provider with their documents, during a brief ceremony.
"These new licences remove this exclusivity from the provision of telecommunications. Today is a landmark in the provision of telecommunications services as the government moves towards full liberalisation of the market," Wood said.
But he called for a speedy resolution to the interconnection negotiations between the four players.
"In respect of the discussions on interconnection agreement that the companies will be engaged in, I sincerely look forward to speedy resolution to those discussions so that the market can truly be reflective of four players actively participating," he said.
Chief Telecoms Officer Chelston Bourne said as far interconnection was concerned, Cable and Wireless must file a reference interconnection offer (RIO) within 52 days from the June 30 date given by the Fair Trade Commission declaring it a dominant player.
Commenting on the negotiations, Cable and Wireless Chief Executive Officer, Donald Austin told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that his company had already agreed to meetings with the other competitors in the market to discuss interconnection rates and pole-sharing.
