TV6 silent on Telecom order

CARIBBEAN Communications Network (CCN) TV 6 has refused to comment on whether or not it would submit a plan to the Telecommunications Authority to provide reception to all parts of Trinidad and Tobago. Authority chairman John Prince recently indicated that TV6 was in breach of its broadcast licence because it was not covering 100 percent of the country and could lose its licence. Certain parts of Tobago and rural Trinidad do not receive TV6’s broadcasts and the authority has directed CCN to devise a plan by February 16 to provide reception to those areas.

Repeated attempts yesterday to contact CCN General Manager Shida Bholai about the company’s response to the authority’s directive were unsuccessful. A CCN official said Bholai was unavailable for comment. Telecom Authority officials said they were insisting that TV6 devise the plan “as soon as possible,” but this does not mean its licence would be automatically revoked when it expires on June 30. One official said this was only one option open to the Board. All licences approved under the old telecommunications legislation will be up for review on June 30.