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Digicel, E-Networks welcome liberalization of Telecoms Sector
Kaieteur News – Digicel and locally-owned operator, E-Networks, have expressed their delight with and welcomed the government’s move to liberalize the Telecommunications Sector, thereby ending the 30 year monopoly by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT).
PM Phillips, Telecoms executives, and officers of the PUC and the Telecommunications Agency
In statements to the press yesterday, both operators highlighted that with the completion of the protracted process, it now paves the way for the delivery of advanced ICT and communication services—two features that GTT heavily lacked in.
E-Networks, which currently operates Guyana’s fastest internet network and recently introduced 5G services, wrote that, “As a 100% Guyanese owned and managed company, we welcome this liberalization as a further catalyst to introduce new services on our current platforms, including voice, which has been stunted due to the monopoly.”
The company went on to say, “This move will undoubtedly enable our country to unlock the transformational power of the digital economy as we embark on our new journey as an oil producing nation.”
Digicel, an Irish-owned company, shared similar sentiments, and expressed that it is getting ready to bring a new era of connectivity and opportunity to the people of Guyana.
Gregory Dean, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Digicel Guyana, articulated, “To say that this day has been a long time coming is an understatement. For 16 long years, we have asked, requested, pushed, lobbied and pressured. Today, finally, that day is here. At Digicel, we firmly believe that access to broadband is a basic human right. Now, the people of Guyana can look forward to a brighter future with affordable access to world-class connectivity solutions that can catapult them to the forefront of the knowledge and digital economy.”
Meanwhile, with the death of its monopoly, GTT says that it wants to renew its commitment to technology advancement for its customers. GTT’s CEO Justin Nedd yesterday commented that, “We expect that with our planned service enhancements, our customers will not be able to discern a difference in service whether they are in New York or Guyana.”
Yesterday, Prime Minister (PM) Mark Phillips handed over operational licences and accompanying documents to Digicel, E-Networks and GTT. Agents of the Public Utilities Commission and the Telecommunications Agency also received copies of the documents.
Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Dela Britton, speaking at the event, added that her commission is ready to help take the sector to the next level.
“I would like to assure all the service providers present,” Britton said, “that we at Public Utilities are open for business and we are willing and ready to engage you, and we are going to adhere to the adage of regulation must not impede innovation because in truth and in fact, this is perhaps the first steps towards innovatory things that will be going on in Guyana.”
Notably, the Telecommunications Bill was first introduced in the National Assembly during the ninth Parliament by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government in 2011, and it was then reintroduced during the tenth Parliament in 2012 after extensive consultations with both public and private operators.
According to the Prime Minister, it is inexplicable as to why the former administration denied Guyanese the full benefits of liberalization by only enforcing small sections of the Act in 2018 and 2019 respectively, although the Bill was enacted since 2016 with bipartisan support.
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