Batelco Monopoly Seeks To Keep Rates High

From the so-called "Bahamas Public Utilities Commission":

"The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is warning the public that persons who provide illegal Voice Over Internet Protocol Services (VOIP) or aid and abet unlicensed operators in the provision of such services will face prosecution and the possibility of heavy fines.

According to the PUC there has been a proliferation of advertisements offering reduced international telephone rates and the PUC has also received increasing inquiries relating to (VoIP). However, the PUC says that only The Bahamas Telecommunications Company and Systems Resource Group have been licensed under the Telecommunications Act by the PUC to provide public Voice Telephony services which include Voice Services over the Internet (VoIP) and Voice over Internet Protocol Networks.

"Any person who, without a Licence from the PUC, establishes, operates or provides public VoIP services or aids and abets the unlicensed provision of these services shall be guilty of a criminal offence and may be fined up to three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) in accordance with Section 35 of the Telecommunications Act, " said E. George Moss, Executive Director, PUC. He also said violators could expect to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The PUC is requesting that the members of the public with knowledge of this type of illegal activity provide information to the PUC at telephone (242) 322-4437, fax (242) 323-7288 or info@pucbahamas.gov.bs."

End the Phone Monopoly: Batelco/PUC is a Moral Obscenity
http://www.freedombahamas.com/article1_batelco.htm

Excerpt:

Batelco is not a Bahamian company--it is a moral obscenity. It is a group of private Bahamians who have accorded themselves government titles, powers, and privileges that no other Bahamian possesses (to protect themselves from more efficient and more productive competitors who would beat them in the free-market) in order to reward themselves at the Bahamian public's expense.

[LDaneen]

Batelco is not only a Bahamian company, but a government-
operated corporation. It is owned by the Bahamian government
and run by its citizens. Yes it did at one time have a complete
monopoly on telecommunication services, but that is changing.
Internet services are now shared with private companies, one of
which has surpassed Batelco in its subscribers. Batelco is not a
moral obscenity. It does have its flaws, which I'm sure the
citizens will face and deal with the best way possible.