TRC renews licenses of telecoms providers
The following is a media release from the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.
Four telecommunications licences, namely unitary licences, were recently renewed by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of the Virgin Islands.
The unitary licence enables the respective licensee to operate a telecommunications network and provide telecommunications services in the Virgin Islands.
The four renewed licences were issued to BVI Cable TV Ltd, Cable & Wireless (BVI) Ltd., Caribbean Cellular Telephone Ltd., and Digicel (BVI) Limited (together, the Licensees).
The mentioned Licensees were first issued unitary licences in 2007, signalling the start of liberalisation in the Virgin Islands to create the circumstances necessary for a fully effective and successful telecommunications sector.
Over the past 15 years, they have provided a variety of telecommunications services to the Territory, which has seen the transition from basic telephony to data services. The importance of, and reliance on, data services were particularly noticed in enabling remote work and learning, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article 3.2 of the 2007 Unitary Licences included a provision governing each Licensee’s right to apply for renewal of its Licence by submission of a renewal application to the Commission, no less than 12 months prior to the expiration date of its Licence term.
The Commission received an application for renewal, from each Licensee, within the specified period and considered each application in accordance with relevant stipulations. The renewed Unitary Licences have been issued for a 15-year period, reflecting the prior term of their respective licences. This milestone represents a momentous occasion for the Commission and the Virgin Islands, being the first unitary licence renewal in the history of the territory and after a yearlong process which involved in-depth review of applications, allowance for public comments, public hearings, compliance evaluations, and the revision of the terms and condition of the unitary licences.
Some of the new terms in the licence will allow for a review of the licence, and compliance assessments, to be performed by the Commission at 5-year intervals. The Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Guy L. Malone, in noting the extensive work of his team said “It is indeed a proud moment for the Commission, and the territory, to arrive at the culmination of executing the renewed unitary licences. The staff of the Commission, and the group of communications business leaders across the British Virgin Islands believe in the incredible and unlimited importance of economic advancement of the Telecommunications Industry in the Territory.
My team worked diligently and persevered throughout, to see this process to completion. I am proud of their efforts and commend them.” The Chairman of the Commission, Vance Lewis, also noted his delight: “We are very proud of the role of the Commission in this unparalleled undertaking with the operators, not only to point ourselves toward a future that is more prosperous, secure, and transparent but the ability to achieve it, as well, with the updated terms and conditions for our service providers.”
Mr Lewis also noted that the respective companies all appeared ready to continue working hard to improve communications for the Territory during the next 15 years. In doing so, he remarked, it will introduce us to the endless possibilities of industry innovators and telecommunication advancements.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
So far I have not been able to get flow to connect me with the fiber optic connections
Over 1 month talking to them. But no action on their part
Transparent????? So where are the terms of the licenses? Does the Public get to know anything? Is this ‘bright future’ further windfalls for the telecom providers, or for the people that pay you to represent us?
It seems to be the usual bull$hit, all blah, blah, blah, and screwing over Joe Public while we continue to be the rear end of the Caribbean telecommunications community!
You Mr. Chairman are a waste of time! Another one of the elites, skilled at nothing, but always being put in a position the public least needs you in!
Speak frankly, factually, and TRANSPARENTLY TO THE PEOPLE! What did you do for us the POEPLE???????
internet going to take over all communication the next few years so all this ‘licensing’ is redundant.
The renews licences can be found on the TRC’s website. For ease of reference, the renewed licences can be viewed using the following link: https://www.trc.vg/top-box/register-of-licensees/
Thanks for the Christmas annuities carry on!
They are all in collusion with the bandwidth they pay for the BVI. Don’t be so naive!
Where did we come in the world league? Oh yes, 187th out of 190.
So naturally the companies responsible for this wonderful result have their licenses renewed.
Welcome to BVI.
Does the regulatory framework allows for starlink to operate in the BVI?
Goverment needs to give priority to intenational sateliite operators to operate in the territory.
Waiting for the next storm to realize that all these cable operators will let us down when we most need them is suicidal.
trc is a waste all they do is let the service providers rip us off
Bought and paid for.
Do BVI Cable TV Ltd still provide any service? If not, why is their lience being renewed?
Not one license was to be renewed until legal provisions were enacted to for lowering of the gouging fees being charged to the people.
Unfortunately,the people have no representation at or on no level of this society.
The whole scheme is one big RIP OFF everyone because no one is complaining, no legislation is forth coming that will curtail our monoply and greed and the people are mere sitting ducks to be used mercilessly.
and not allowing us to transfer numbers to different companies