GTT, Digicel at odds over use of ‘Money Mobile’ app

Dec 02, 2015 News

GTT and Digicel are at odds with each other over a mobile phone app that allows customers to pay their bills.
Yesterday, GTT in a full page advertisement in Kaieteur News claimed that Digicel Guyana was restricting its customers’ access to services. Digicel, however, denied that this was the case.

GTT is claiming that its mobile phone service competitor, Digicel, is blocking its Money Mobile app.

The issue has to do with GTT’s Mobile Money service which the company announced recently was being made available for Digicel customers.
Mobile Money allows customers to transfer money, pay electricity, water and cable bills.
“GTT notes with concern what seems to be an action by Digicel Guyana to restrict its customers from accessing Mobile Money. GTT recently extended its Mobile Money service to these customers, who clamored to have access to the service based on its convenient, wide-reaching, safe and reliable qualities,” GTT said in the advertisement.
“We believe that it is our customers’ right to choose their applications and services. GTT has always lobbied for a level playing field for the benefit of all customers. Mobile Money has a free app available at the Play Store for Android devices and calls are toll free to the customer number 0664. In the interest of customers we hope that prudent judgment prevails and customers’ right to choose would be respected!”
However, Digicel, in a statement, insists that it fully supports the notion of a level playing field in the telecommunications sector as it will be beneficial to Guyanese in more ways than one.
“In response to the recently issued press release by GTT, we would like to emphasize that the GTT App and its functionality is the responsibility of GTT to ensure it works properly.”
Digicel said that GTT contacted them last Thursday for the first time – the app has been in the market since October.
“And we responded by saying we would investigate and try and help. We are therefore disappointed in GTT’s approach to this matter. On a wider note, we welcome GTT’s very recent conversion to customers’ choice and look forward to this new approach to be applied to residential landlines and liberalisation of the telecoms sector so every Guyanese can enjoy the benefits of improved communications in Guyana rather than the current monopoly which restricts customers’ choice.”
With regards to the latter statements, Digicel would be referring to current draft legislation that has to be considered by the National Assembly and which has been delayed for a number of reasons.
Once the telecoms laws are revised, new players will be allowed to compete in the landline and international calls arena, an area that GTT currently controls as a result of an agreement it signed with the Government of Guyana over 20 years ago.
Digicel has hinted at a fibre optic cable and a host of other services once the laws are passed.