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Force ISPs to deliver or find new players- Skelton-Cline urges TRC

- says 'we just paying too much for such poor service'
The three main internet providers in the Virgin Islands are Digicel, Flow and CCT Global Communications. Photo: Internet Source
Government Consultant, Claude O. Skelton-Cline has called on the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) to put pressure on local telecom providers to deliver better services to the people of the Virgin Islands (VI) or find new players. Photo: Facebook/File
Government Consultant, Claude O. Skelton-Cline has called on the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) to put pressure on local telecom providers to deliver better services to the people of the Virgin Islands (VI) or find new players. Photo: Facebook/File
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI - Government Consultant, Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline has called on the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) to put pressure on local telecom providers to deliver better services to the people of the Virgin Islands (VI) or find new players.

"Their licences are coming up and I am trusting that the people at the TRC take this occasion to set some things right... we are continuing to pay some of the highest price points in the world," Skelton-Cline said on the Thursday, September 3, 2020, edition of his Honestly Speaking radio show on ZBVI 780 AM. 

He said over the years, operators have offered various explanations for the poor delivery of services in the Territory; however, he said service remains dismal.

Poor services, high prices 

"They have wonderful explanations as to why we are not getting signal... the fact of the matter is, we have poor telecommunication services in this country," Mr Skelton-Cline said. 

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) at a December 3, 2019, ‘BVI's Digital Economy Symposium’ said the services must improve in the Territory or new players would have to come.

“We understand the challenges our citizens and business community face with the reliability of internet service. We agree that it must be overcome, even if it means inviting new players into our market to improve broadband speeds for customers and lower prices," he said.

Hold feet to the fire 

According to Skelton-Cline, "For a country that wants to go in or step into the future, either we are going to hold the existing operators' feet to the fire and force them to deliver the kind of services that is befitting of a 21st-century world, giving the price we pay."

The commentator said the alternative now is to find new players with diligent haste, given the current crisis with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We just paying too much for such poor service. It's just pitiful and ridiculous," he said.

34 Responses to “Force ISPs to deliver or find new players- Skelton-Cline urges TRC”

  • l (07/09/2020, 13:46) Like (3) Dislike (5) Reply
    Wait till me some thing this man is the Primear what a thing
    • Agree (07/09/2020, 15:11) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply
      He is so right get them down island carriers out of here of course Cct ain’t going nowhere but the two got to go
      • Educate yourself (07/09/2020, 17:47) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
        Flow is a subsidiary of Cable and Wireless a British telecommunication company and Digicel is owned by an Irish Billionaire.
        • Rubber Duck (08/09/2020, 17:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          Cable and Wireless ( known in the trade as Incapable and Witless ) was bought by Liberty Media a US company.
  • NezRez (07/09/2020, 13:48) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    Right On Right On Cline. You got that right! Hold their feet to the fire.
    • Local (07/09/2020, 17:13) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Have to agree with Cline these internet providers got to go lockdown on and the amount of people home using the net and it's slower than ever plus school online and the kids getting hell with this set of buffing
  • usa (07/09/2020, 14:15) Like (8) Dislike (3) Reply
    Just finished watching a Full Free Documentary on Google rating the BVI as the Pearl of the Caribbean. What a beautiful Country.
  • old (07/09/2020, 14:25) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    We speak the same thing all the time. And no action. It time for action..
  • wise up (07/09/2020, 14:27) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    Wow cline u on top of things more than the premier and YES SHITTY SERVICE FROM ALL COMPANIES, imagine I wear and can’t get service, child doing online school and internet cut off come on these providers collecting big money for services they don’t give.
  • for real (07/09/2020, 14:29) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    It’s about time that there’s some kind of accountability from these telecom providers. They continue to take us for a ride day after day with their poor service. What exactly r we paying for? Throughout the entire Caribbean we paying the most money and getting the worst service. U have my full support on this one, it’s about time.
  • ATT (07/09/2020, 14:37) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why not at least invite ATT to bid for a licence.
    • usa (07/09/2020, 16:54) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      AT&T as well as T-MOBILE would love to do business with the BVI.
      • Really (07/09/2020, 17:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        You can invite but companies are only willing to invest money where there is an environment which allows them to freely operates their business in a manner which will enable them to recuperates their investment. This is not just renting office space and buying some computers. This is hardcore long term investment.
    • wacky (08/09/2020, 19:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      AT&T Service just as bad, and they are not interested in providing device in the Caribbean, as per their own words "to much work and to little money".
  • Hmm (07/09/2020, 14:39) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    Here come 5G
  • BVI Better than Rock (07/09/2020, 15:33) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
    I spend the last 5 months living rock city. Believe me when I tell ayo BVI got waaaay better internet than rock man. ATT only game over there and service terrible. Biggest plan available is 100gb for $100/month. After 100gb they charge $25 for each additional 10gb. I cant speak for other island man countries but USVI got it worse than we.
  • Cant complain (07/09/2020, 15:41) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    I live Mac Namara. I used CCT. I have no issues... I can say my service with CCT is like 95% good for now.....I dont kno if the area we live in plays a part in how good or how bad the service is. I do hear people complain about there service...
  • talking head (07/09/2020, 15:43) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Who is going to invest now ? the BVI brokes !
  • @ Hmm (07/09/2020, 16:27) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    You mean that’s what they tell you but in actuality it’s still 2G
  • Well (07/09/2020, 16:29) Like (1) Dislike (5) Reply

    We already know the h**d man for p*** park is the 1 bringing att/5g here so nothing to worry bout.

  • My Goodness (07/09/2020, 16:41) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Are you not tired of the old talk. Only the small man comes under scrutiny in this place. For years the people pay monthly for bad service and government after government know this and nothing is done. Things bad with our money yet government hands around our throat for NHI, Social Security BUT Flow, cct and digicel Systematically robing our people day after day, year after year and government doing not a dam thing. Trying calling flow from a digicel device noting, depending on were you live in this small village your cct phone not working. “If you get one-cent for each drop call per days @ the end of the year you have $5.000.00” . Do not have enough time to blog about their interest services, makes you sick and you paying your monthly bill on time......it should be called Theft by deception
  • NORTH SOUND NEEDS FIBER (07/09/2020, 16:44) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    We are not less than no one else ! Why should we be treated like this . North Sounds had bad internet ever since Jesus was getting written by the White people . Upgrade us right now !! We want better internet too . These LTE routers are bad and too make matters worst you guys keep throttling the internet speeds . UPGRADE US NOW !!
  • Lucifer (07/09/2020, 17:13) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Always going to be held back by the current infrastructure if it stays as it is here. Need to get the fibre cables in the ground along with the electricity wires. Would be a lot more efficient and also less open to hurricane damage. If the government are serious on spending on construction contracts to regenerate the economy this is where they need to be looking, not just papering over the cracks until the next storm comes and flattens everything.
  • lodger (07/09/2020, 17:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I must be in a different country. I dont have a smart phone, just a plain old mobile. My internet is landline and I have no problems at all with email, skype, messenger, facebook, VPN TV, movies etc. what am I doing wrong?
    • wondering (07/09/2020, 19:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Lucky you. My land line was faulty for years before I gave it up. Flow just never was able to fix it and they went from one day to repair the line, to never. No wonder all their repair men quit. CCT internet was great, but now their service is terrible and when I complain, they want to sell me bigger more expensive package. One computer, one iPhone, one person in my home. Forget it, I am not buying a bigger package. I can read a book and relax. CCT has no morals, they are reducing service and still taking my money each month. Sickening. CCt service people went from wonderful to lousy after Irma. Digicel was too expensive for basic phone so I quit them. What's App is good and a top up phone is saving me $45.00 per month. Covid19 out of work made me realize how much money I was wasting. Soon I am going to have to quit CCT, because it is obvious, that my tourist related job is not hiring me back any time this year.
  • Demand (07/09/2020, 23:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Customers need to demand their money back from these carriers. The net is ridiculous and they charging so much. You begging for credit for months to no avail. Public example they robbing the customers with their eyes wide open.
  • Scammers (08/09/2020, 04:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    All we are paying for is Buffering, the so call Flow is a big time Rip Off it is not right for us to be paying for a service that we are not getting. This been happening for years it is about time something is done about it . Paying for Flow Internet is like paying for groceries but you walk out of the Supermarket empty handed.
  • jokes (08/09/2020, 06:34) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    The TRC is useless because they are in the providers pockets.

    It’s the TRC that allowed the providers to throttle the LTE speed to 10 mb or less. All while the providers were selling unlimited packages while cutting you off at 500mb. Then you have one of them actually selling what they call home DIA service where you can get speeds “As high as 10mb and as low as 4” but most times the speed drop to less than 1 mb. This wickedness must stop.
  • Rubber Duck (08/09/2020, 09:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The arrogance of these telecom companies in BVI is incredible. Rip off prices, old junk technology and utter contempt for the consumer. The government needs to force them to provide equality of service. They cannot be allowed to pick and chose where they provide fiber optic but must be made to offer it to all as a condition of their license. Even the Premiers own constituency at Carrot Bay is denied proper service with currently no wired access at all. Is this looking after your people Mr Fahie?

    But the good news is that these bandits, like all bandits, are due for extinction. The future is satellite internet. The satellites are already up there and the numbers are growing fast. Projected cost is $80 per month for Spacelink from Elon Musk that will give you faster speeds than any of these robbers currently provide. Service will begin next year. Amazon and others will also provide satellite services. The other advantage will be the option of having the internet anywhere yo go, beach, water or up the mountain.

    We must however be careful that the bandits do not succeed in pressurizing the government to prevent importation of the antennas needed to connect to satellite. They will certainly try to do that.
  • Comucations (08/09/2020, 11:54) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    the service may seem bad or may be bad but it is better than many places the only problem is the hig prices that they charge people that needs to be looked at and looked into i tank cline for bring it to he public but is he sharing his concerns with government or is he doing these things thinking that that is going to lead him to a political path. We need to stop and think when we see the lone ranger walking he may doing a great job but the grate matter of these pronlems started with the former goverment so go seek out the graphics from the companies and you will hear some thing diffrent. The NDP did a lot of the settlements that is why we are facing such issues but cline should know he was a great NDP he call down the same andrew when he spoke on such matters least we forget so Andrew you got to watch your watch because not all time is right. Now in your stay of premier see what you can do to get rates on a more lower rate but all the HA HA HA you have to watch oh for a thousand tounges to tell the great comments of the NDP The glories of Ralph O.Neal the BViI enjoys the triumph of grace hedid a lot to help the companies to keep their rates at a certian level but the NDP cane along and hike the prices .
  • born Tolian (08/09/2020, 13:21) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    school children say that the new bord at the trc getting down hard on dem companys and they not playing. They say the bord no fraid of dem like the other one. hope the bord will keep the pressure on dem cause we all diserve better service than this for all the money we paiding.The premear put in a new bord, he need to send home a lot of dem people workin they for so long and in the company dem pocket. Enough is enough we need better service and lesser charge . Well me boi poor we
  • :) (08/09/2020, 13:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    We really see how crappy the service is when you working from home. I personally didn’t notice that much bad when I’m just streaming video pre pandemic but now that everybody home Netflix doing the horse chip.


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