TSTT/Govt showdown looms in telecom war

Addressing a news conference at TSTT’s Edward Street headquarters in Port-of-Spain yesterday, TSTT vice-president (legal/regulatory/carrier services) Lisa Agard said, "TSTT cannot comply with the directive given by TATT, as it is impossible to connect by November 30." Asked if this would bring TSTT into direct conflict with its main shareholder, the Government, Agard replied, "I hope that it does not bring TSTT into conflict with the Government. The Government is fully aware of all of the issues. I think it also will respect due process." She added that TSTT has received expert legal advice which states that the November 30 deadline for inter-connection indicated by TATT was "unlawful."

Agard said TSTT has always been fully supportive of Government’s telecommunications liberalisation policy and is not trying to derail that policy. She said TSTT is sticking to its project plan and is prepared to facilitate Digicel, local telecom outfit LaqTel and "any other potential concession holder." Asked if TSTT believed direct Government intervention was required to resolve this situation, Agard replied, "The Government is perfectly capable of making that decision." Last week, Public Administration and Information Minister Dr Lenny Saith said Government was "not getting involved in the inter-connection differences between TSTT and Digicel at this time." Recalling the chronology of events from June 24 to September 29, Agard said TSTT has and continues to do everything possible to facilitate inter-connection with Digicel, and has all the relevant documents to prove it. She added that TSTT would be prepared to go to court if this became necessary to disprove Digicel’s allegations against it.

She claimed Digicel may have breached local law where the issue of "proliferation of towers" was concerned, and its inter-connection agreements in other Caribbean territories took longer than the times which Digicel said they did. In contrast, Agard said inter-connection agreements with LaqTel were going well since August 8 and "considerable progress" is being made towards providing that company with inter-connection equipment. She reiterated that the mobile phone system would crash if Digicel were to interconnect with TSTT’s archaic Legacy System rather than its New Generation System (NGM). TSTT chief operations officer Bernard Mitchell said TSTT was not trying to give the NGM system a headstart over Digicel’s system, and does not believe that there would be a mass exodus of its customers to Digicel once interconnection is achieved. Agard added that Digicel has the option at this time to launch its commercial services without inter-connection. Contacted last night, TATT officials said they were aware of TSTT’s position and were looking into the matter.