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."

[jimbunting]

After reading the post about the threats to outlaw Voice Over IP in the Bahamas, I have to say this..............

If a company locates to Nassau, for instance, and is in International Banking, they will be making lots of over-seas phone calls, for sure. If I could offer them Voice-over IP, at $40 a month, for unlimited calls, world-wide, as we are able to do here in Canada, they would be breaking down my doors. All that is required is a device that connects any phone, thru the PC to the internet, and voila, call anywhere, for $40 a month, at any time, any day.

I'm shocked that a country that claims to be "business friendly" would have such a backwards attitude to new technology. If Bahamas teleco was really smart they would be selling those devices and capturing the market place. As it stands now, they are acting in a stone age way, instead of embracing the newest technology to improve business operations in the Bahamas.

By using Voice -Over IP technology, a company can sabe litteraly thousands of dollars a year, on it's telephone costs.

Here is the final argument..........Unless Bahamas telephone is going to go into every business office in the country, how will they know who has one? Answer? By the sharply reduced long distance bills, thats how!!!

Jim Bunting. Toronto. Canada. A happy Voice-Over IP user.