By Robert Hart, Staff ReporterCABLE AND Wireless Jamaica (C&WJ) has denied suggestions by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) that it was apparently reluctant to encourage interconnection with new licensed carriers in the recently liberalised market.
The telecommunications giant insisted yesterday that it has always negotiated with concerned parties in "a fair equitable and timely manner".
"At no time has C&WJ behaved in any way that would be prejudicial to any party which is seeking to interconnect with our network," said Errol Miller, C&WJ's head of corporate communications.
Mr. Miller who was responding to statements made by OUR Director-General, J. Paul Morgan, said any suggestion or implication of any such action was "blatantly misleading".
Last week, at a press conference at the Petrojam Building, New Kingston, Mr. Morgan said there was growing dissatisfaction over the slow movement towards the complete liberalisation of the telecommunications sector.
Speaking on the OUR's task of ensuring that the "playing field" was level and new companies could establish their businesses with a fair degree of certainty and confidence in the environment, Mr. Morgan stated that the most essential facility in the competitive market place was the arrangement for interconnection.
He, however, lamented the slow pace at which the negotiations for interconnection, which allow a customer on one network to call customers on other networks, were taking place.
A senior officer at one of the newly licensed companies, though agreeing with the OUR's observation, told The Gleaner yesterday that he did not believe that "C&WJ's inefficient handling" of the arrangements for interconnection was intended to be a hostile act.
He suggested instead that although his company maintains a "guarded" relationship with C&WJ, the telecommunications giant was more likely just ill-prepared for the March 1 opening up of the telecommunications market.
However, stating that his company is hoping to be up and running by mid-year, the senior officer said that he expects a problem will develop in regard to interconnectivity with the incumbent C&WJ. "We fear that will become an issue," he said.
Despite the concerns of the OUR and the new licensees, Mr. Miller, in his statement last night said it should be noted that the OUR has not yet approved C&WJ's Reference Interconnect Offering (RIO) document. The RIO would form the basis for any interconnect agreement between C&WJ and any other carrier.
"C&WJ is patiently waiting on the approval of this document," Mr. Miller said. He added that, despite the fact that the RIO has not been approved, C&WJ has already signalled its intention to commence commercial negotiations with the new entrants.
