Digicel (Guyana) slashes rates for international calls

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) on Tuesday said it has appealed the decision of Justice Rishi Persaud in the case of James Samuels vs GT&T. The High Court had ruled that the monopoly held by GT&T to provide telecommunications service or to regulate voice and data transmission over the internet is unlawful and void.

In the meantime, Digicel Guyana has slashed its international call rates up to 88 per cent in accordance with the ruling of the High Court from 18:00h on the said day. However, GT&T in a statement said Justice Persaud’s ruling is in “clear violation” of the company’s “lawful rights under the Telecommunications Act of 1990 and other Guyana laws”.
“We are advised that the commercial court ruling by Justice Persaud is in clear violation of our lawful rights under the Telecommunications Act of 1990 and other Guyana laws. The commercial court has already stayed its ruling, and, therefore, enforcement of the judgment has been suspended. Today, we submitted our appeal of the decision and remain entirely confident that the decision will be overturned by the Court of Appeal.”
GT&T said attempts to develop telecommunications policy through piecemeal court decisions are “harmful to both consumers and the country”.
“GT&T has long made it clear that we support an open and competitive telecommunications landscape. We stand ready to negotiate a thoughtful, comprehensive policy that both protects consumers and promotes further investment by GT& T in Guyana’s telecoms sector,” a statement from the company read.
Meanwhile, Digicel Chief Executive Officer Gregory Dean said: “Digicel is elated to finally provide Guyanese consumers with fair international calling rates after decades of exploitation by GT&T.”
“Digicel has been operating under a monopoly held by GT& T for the past five years and we are happy that customers will now be able to reap the benefits of a fully liberalised telecommunications sector. Reducing international callings rates is just the beginning; we have extensive plans for further growth of Guyana’s telecoms industry. Customers will soon be able to enjoy other fantastic offers on international calls,” he said.
Digicel Guyana on Monday announced its satisfaction with the High Court ruling, noting that GT& T’s monopoly was illegal and not beneficial to consumers and the country. As a result of GT&T’s monopoly, Digicel has been forced to route its international calls though GT&T’S network.
“Following the expiration of the international monopoly in Antigua last month, Guyana remained the last country in the Caribbean region to allow an international monopoly to persist. The High Court of Guyana’s ruling on Friday has now conclusively determined that this monopoly is unlawful and invalid.”
Persaud ruled that the monopoly held by GT&T to provide telecommunications service or to regulate voice and data transmission over the internet is unlawful and void.
Calls to the Caribbean, USA, and Canada are now reduced by up to 62 per cent, while China and Brazil will see reductions by more than 80 per cent.