THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE FOLLOWING letter was e-mailed to Ms. Karen Malcolm in response to a letter from her which your paper carried on April 28. I think it might be worth printing as a service to your readers.
The letter: I am writing with regard to Ms. Karen Malcolm's letter to the Editor of The Gleaner, which appeared in the paper on Saturday April 28, regarding the rates published for calling a Digicel Mobile phone from a fixed line (regular phone) and would like to clarify what happened for her, and the many others who have called raising the same issue.
Simply, The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) gave Digicel, the new Mobile operator, a range between $3 and $12 to determine rates for fixed line (regular phone) calls to Digicel Mobile customers.
Digicel chose the $12 rate. Digicel receives 80 per cent of this payment. The other 20 per cent goes to C&W Jamaica as the cost of using our network, not to C&W Mobile.
At the same time, the OUR requested that C&WJ Mobile keep its rates at the $3 to $5 range, which currently exists. So, C&W Jamaica is not "getting fat, or leeching prices" from fixed line customers. The prices in question, were, in fact, set by Digicel.
All of the above can be verified by the OUR.
This letter is sent on behalf of Steve Twomey, Senior Vice President, C&WJ Mobile. If I can be of any further service, please feel free to contact me by e-mail or at 936-9000.
I am etc.,
ERROL K. MILLER
Public Relations Manager
Cable & Wireless Jamaica
