Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
GTT must return to detailed paper bills – PUC
GTT customer, Ramon Gaskin.
Kaieteur News – The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is contending that the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) must revert to giving consumers detailed paper bills instead of the electronic billing format currently being used.
The PUC declined GTT’s request to review Order No. 2 of 2019, stating that the new paper bill format lacks key information for consumers and fails to deliver important details. The PUC has, moreover, ordered GTT to issue the old format of bills which has all the relevant information. The decision was signed by PUC Chairman, Attorney-at-Law, Dela Britton.
Last year, the company started using a new billing format which was omitting necessary information from customers’ bills. In addition to that, the company had failed to notify consumers about the new format change. Customers were forced to access the information missing from their bills on GTT’s online portal which inconvenienced those without internet access.
The PUC had grilled the company for the omission of information and its failure to inform customers. A particular customer, Ramon Gaskin, had filed complaints about changes made to the format of his telephone bill and actively engaged in arguments urging the company to revert.
Chairman of the PUC, Dela Britton
Kaieteur News understands that the PUC previously made a decision in October based on Order No. 2 of 2019, maintaining that GTT had to switch back to giving detailed paper bills, however, in June GTT requested that the PUC revise the order following Section 77 of the PUC Act.
Following the request for a review, a hearing was conducted in August which saw Gaskin, along with the Guyana Consumers Association, the PUC and GTT engaging in a discussion and each party gave their arguments.
While giving GTT’s argument at the hearing, a representative said that the company was allowing customers access to their information with no cost attached via their online portal. The company maintained that it complied with Order No. 2 of 2019 which stated that an option needs to be provided for customers to opt-out of receiving the new billing format and to receive the detailed paper bills free of cost. The company also stated that in regards to issuing bills, no part of Section 51 of the PUC Act No. 10 of 1999 states that certain formats or content had to be contained in the bill.
Over 100 applications for detailed paper bills were submitted to the company by customers. GTT submitted that since Order No. 2 of 2019 was enforced, the company had received approximately 120 with 114 already processed to date.
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