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Special agency to adopt NFMU, enforce Telecoms Act
The Ministry of Public Telecommunications is currently working on creating a new regulatory body, a ‘Telecommunications Agency’ that will manage the telecommunications sector.
Public Telecommunications Minister, Catherine Hughes
This was revealed by Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes during her Ministry’s mid-year press conference yesterday.
She was asked whether concerns are still being raised by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) and Digicel Guyana regarding competition in the marketplace, although the Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill would have been passed in the National Assembly and enacted.
Hughes admitted that all of the issues have not been ironed out with the companies, but the process is in motion. She said that the most important thing was passing the legislation that would allow other parties to come into the marketplace thereby increasing competition, resulting in reduced rates.
She said that at the level of the Ministry, work is being done to create the new regulatory body. Further, the Minister said that negotiations are moving ahead with Atlantic Tele-Network and GTT.
According to Hughes, her Ministry is working with a July 2017 timeframe to create an environment where more players can enter the local market.
Giving perspective to the issue, Hughes said that persons must appreciate the importance of having support from companies like GTT and Digicel.
“What we are actually doing and what I see is that especially in some hinterland and remote communities where there is very little access for the ICT communities, there are so many other services that can be provided by a new range of local entrepreneurs.”
The Minister said that her Ministry is grateful that both companies have played an important role in the development of Guyana’s telecommunications landscape.
The Telecoms Bill was passed in July 2016 and ended the monopoly GTT held on certain services. The passage of the Bill paved the way for other companies to enter the Guyanese telecommunications market and compete against GTT and other companies on a level playing field. This is the liberalisation which was wanting for quite some time.
Meanwhile, the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) will be placed under the new agency referred to earlier. She said that under the new regulations individuals will have to apply for a license.
She said that when it is announced publicly that applications are available for persons to operate in different areas of telecommunications, Guyana will know who exactly which players have an interest in the sector, both local and foreign.
The NFMU performs a series of functions which include Radio Inspection, Monitoring, Licencing and Number Administration. In 2016 the agency played a role in preparing Guyana for the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector and to upgrade spectrum monitoring and management capabilities.
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