A demoralised B.T.L. celebrates World Telecom Day
It’s a day that the nation’s major phone company usually celebrates each year with an ambitious display of its latest technology…and while 2005 was no exception, the hoopla put out today by Belize Telecommunications Limited took place under a very dark cloud. Patrick Jones reports.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
The observance of World Telecommunications Day this year finds B.T.L. recovering from a crippling mid-April shutdown, employee sabotage, and its ownership in legal limbo. It is the darkest period in the history of the company, and Chief Executive Officer Gaspar Aguilar says the turbulence of last month affected Belize Telecommunications Limited in many different ways.
Gaspar Aguilar, Chief Executive Officer, B.T.L.
?One, the obvious, it has cost the company quite a sum of money. And second, the psychological, emotional trauma that everyone went through. I believe that today we have among all the other challenges that the company has, like what I just mentioned for the theme for world telecom, to work together as a team and to heal all of that psychological trauma. It started–I think that the strength that we have, the positive side of it is that I would say a hundred percent of the employees of B.T.L. love the company, love what they do, are dedicated, and if we can only keep the emotions under control and reach whatever objective we have in mind in a more controlled and peaceful way, then I think we are okay.?
The annual display and exhibition featured all of the services currently offered by B.T.L., and also gave customers a chance to see what the plans the company has in the pipeline. Public Relations Officer Linette Canto says the theme: ?Creating an equitable information society, time for action? is not just a catchy phrase.
Linette Canto, P.R. Officer, B.T.L.
?We at B.T.L. feel very strongly about this theme because we believe and we?ve always believe that it is important for every Belizean to have access to quality telecommunications services. And over the years we have done quite a bit to make ensure that this is possible. For example, we have the afford-a-phone plan, which allows even very low income customers to have access to basic telephone service. We have been expanding to rural areas so that not only people living in the urban areas, but also remote areas of Belize can have access to service.?
Another new service will bring B.T.L. into alliance with Channel 5 to offer the news when you want it… in effect turning your computer into a TV and video recorder.
Sharmayne Saunders, Business Development Exec., B.T.L.
?It uses video streaming technology and basically what it does it allows the user that has access to the internet as well as a computer. It uses a programme called Quick Time to run the news at any time that you want to see the news. And it?s basically a repeat of Channel Five news from the previous day. And it runs for whatever time. And another benefit of news on demand is that you can get to see any of Channel 5 news that was aired live anytime that you choose. So it?s basically news on demand.?
The service is still in its testing phase and Saunders says that as soon as all the bugs are worked out, the full motion video service will be available to anyone with a live internet connection and a computer.
Sharmayne Saunders
?You need a specific connection and preferably at least 64K the speed. And you know B.T.L. offers 128K at the same price as 64K, so basically all our subscribers who have D.S.L. connection currently can get this, it will work fine. You can use it with other slower connections, it?s just that the video stream, the higher the bandwidth the better the performance of the service.?
It?s the kind of customer service expansion that Aguilar says B.T.L. remains committed to, despite challenges that continue to beset the telecommunications giant.
Gaspar Aguilar
?Over the years we?ve invested quite a sum of money to make sure that the infrastructure is there, that keeps up with the technology and also is done in a way that is affordable to everyone in the country.?
Patrick Jones
?How do you make something as vital as telecommunications affordable to everyone??
Gaspar Aguilar
?Well that is the challenge because obviously B.T.L. is a business, like any other business and investors look at returns, but it is really up to, I would say the management and the support staff to make sure that there is a balance.?
When that balance was disrupted last month, Aguilar says the wounds went deeper than most people thought.
Gaspar Aguilar
?It goes beyond dollars. It?s really the success that is at stake here, the success of a good company. And I am confident that the employees are intelligent enough to understand this and will reconsider how they move in the future.?
Patrick Jones
?Mr. Aguilar, the obvious question is how do you as the C.E.O. continue to manage this company when for all intents and purposes you have tow bosses, you have two boards of directors??
Gaspar Aguilar
?That I look at it as two separate things, one is a shareholder struggle, and the other is my professional commitment to as long as I am allowed to do my best to guide this company in the right direction.?
Aguilar is hoping that the road to a resolution of the current boardroom deadlock will not extend beyond a couple of months, because while spending for the normal maintenance and upkeep of the B.T.L. system is not affected by the impasse, major investments necessary for continued expansion will require approval from a legitimate board of directors. Patrick Jones, for News Five.
To access the News 5 streaming video, viewers can simply click on the link located on the right hand side of the website’s home page.
