P.U.C. lags behind as SMART tries to upgrade phone services
Earlier this week, we reported that B.T.L. had pulled the plug on Speednet and removed the smaller telephone company from its unfiltered circuits cutting off its international services. Speednet maintained that B.T.L. has been using its dominant power to eliminate competition. The court, however, ruled otherwise and Speednet relied on interconnection circuits to prevent disruptions. With that out of the way, another hurdle has sprung upon Speednet and it has to do with the launch of its new cellular network which will be offering a more advanced service than the government controlled Digicell service. Two new radio links are at the Customs ready for clearing which will make SMART completely independent from the B.T.L. network. But the Public Utilities Commission has to give the green light for the radio links to be released and it has placed a price tag of seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars every year, in frequency charges, for those two pieces of equipment alone. That’s a large sum which is known to far exceed what B.T.L. pays for all of its frequencies, countrywide. And up to news time, the equipment was waiting to be cleared.
Now we all know why we are still living like we did 50 years ago.Just take a look at the roads,infrastructure,hospitaqls,schools etc.Anytime comeone wishes to improve their businesses,here comes government with all kinds of rules,duties,regulations,but none of these applies when their cronies,family members,compadres etc engage in these same activities,everything is Ok,that is until the next party wins the elections.Then we have a repeat of the sam.
the goverment is full of $#!%… and BTL just trying to screw everyone over….
Indeed. Like I always say…I strongly believe that we would be better without a Government! There are many ways that we can run this small country without having to waste our tax monies to these Ministers. Have you ever sat down and think that a Minister is not necessary? They just create backlogs and halt processes and it’s not because they are working….they are just wasting time cruising around on their fancy rides, on the phone, etc., nothing positive for the country.
This is just ridiculous is BTL so afraid of competition that the PUC have to go and fight for them by charging SMART so much for their frequencies. I was under the impression that the PUC was suppose to be there for the consumers not the business, it just seem to me that they know by charging smart this ridiculous amount they will hinder SMART from giving it’s customers better service or at the least have to charge the customers some ridiculous amount to cover their expenses and still make a profit. I guess the powers that be still don’t realize that telephone for some of us is a necessity not a luxury so why set rules that will make it almost impossible for us to be able to afford it. This country is so backwards and ignorant it makes me ashamed to be a Belizean.