CCT cautions TRC on allocating more spectrum until court matter is over
The Spectrum battle
Earlier this year, the TRC allowed only two out of three companies- LIME and Digicel- to apply for the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Spectrum (4G) to the exclusion of CCT. According to the TRC, the local company never applied for the Spectrum during the time prescribed and was using the 700MHz spectrum which the TRC claimed was unauthorised.
CCT Global Communications then initiated legal action against the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) in objection to the 2015 Spectrum Award Process and the two parties appeared in the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court on October 2, 2015.
The court then granted CCT leave to apply for Judicial Review of the 2015 Spectrum Award Process and the matter will be heard on December 16 and 17, 2015.
The court also instituted a stay of the 2015 Spectrum Award Process to preserve the status quo while the court determines the validity of the objections raised by CCT. However, the TRC appealed the stay and the Court of Appeal overturned the stay, giving way for the process to award the LTE spectrum to continue and it was restarted on Thursday December 3, 2015.
Speaking exclusively to Virgin Islands News Online, CEO of CCT Global Communications Romney Averad Penn said the Judicial Review of CCT’s objections to the 2015 Spectrum Award Process is still pending and said he was hopeful that the TRC would not go ahead with allocating additional spectrum until the completion of their court matter.
“CCT trusts that the TRC will be mindful that judicial review is still pending and exercise forbearance regarding allocating any additional spectrum until after the matter before the courts is settled.”
According to Mr Penn, theoretically the TRC could make moves on the 2015 Spectrum Award Process but if the Judicial Review finds that they were done incorrectly they would have to reverse that. "If they [TRC] want to go forward and take that risk that is up to them...but the Judicial Review is still moving forward, the Court of Appeal did not reverse that or take away our ability to bring the Judicial Review forward. The Judicial Review will happen on December 16th and December 17th."
Customers will continue to have LTE service
Following our article of December 8, 2015 on the TRC’s successful application for the lifting of the stay for the 2015 Spectrum Award Process to continue, Mr Penn said many customers expressed concern that they would lose their Go Fast LTE unlimited wireless residential internet solution service.
However, Mr Penn assured this would not be so.
He explained that LTE is a wireless telecommunications technology that has been deployed on several different spectrum bands around the world, including here in the Virgin Islands.
“All three telecommunications providers in the BVI have unused allocated spectrum but thus far only CCT has been willing to invest in an LTE network for the BVI. Hundreds of CCT customers are already enjoying the benefits of Go Fast LTE, our unlimited wireless residential internet solution.”
According to Mr Penn, the Go Fast LTE service is legal and what CCT is seeking to do is to acquire additional spectrum.
“CCT has objected to the 2015 Spectrum Award Process not an LTE Award Process, Mr Penn stated. "We are proud of that service. That [LTE] service is completely legal. It is a service that we do own and have been authorised to use by the TRC. Do we have a controversy with the TRC in relation to the new spectrum that is being awarded, yes we do, we are in court, everyone knows that."
CCT launched its residential LTE service in July 2015.
“We at CCT are very excited to deliver BVI’s first 4G LTE network to our customers. GO FAST LTE is the residential unlimited internet solution that customers have been waiting for,” Mr Penn had stated in a press release of July 28, 2015.
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21 Responses to “CCT cautions TRC on allocating more spectrum until court matter is over”
Re read the article with a clear head.
Thanks but I'll wait until a reliable service arrives
You can only use spectrum that has been legally awarded to you. Indeed it's offensive because it implies locals don't respect the rule of law. Very dangerous territory. Well done the TRC
Cct offers mobile and home internet, LTE currently offered on internet
LTE can be offered on different bandwiths (spectrum) the higher one used the better service which stimulates competition.
3 companies in the BVI competing
This would always be a fight as far as i am concerned cz all 3 companies have faults some jus robbing the customers more than the other n people acting blind. Check those who phones always broke, check those who on plans n could nvr pay that amount monthly bill always over, check those who offer plans for services that are free, check those who limit your calls n still call their plans unlimited.
TRC need to concern themself with that and not BULL$#!T
This is a thoughtful comment and I agree mostly with it. TRC is setting up the rules and trying to do the right thing. When a company refuses to comply with the rules, if TRC just rolled over, the other 2 providers would go on the attack and challenge the unfair application of the rules.
CCT allegedly stupidly failed to comply with the rules TRC set up (MULTIPLE times!). TRC had no option but to exclude them otherwise LIME and Digicel would have taken them to Court for favoritism. If CCT would simply smarten up for a change they could have everything they want. They just have to play by the rules - not try to destroy their own business by stupidly thinking they can make it up as they please and expect success because their investors are one of we.