Prime Minister Gaston Browne has said telecommunication providers Flow and Digicel are suing the government over the issue of digital spectrum allocation.
The government wants to force the two foreign firms to share their spectrum space equally with the state-owned Antigua Public Utilities Authority.
But prime minister Gaston Browne says APUA’s competitors are resisting this move.
He disclosed over the weekend that “we have a challenge right now with Flow and Digicel in that they taking us to court because they have a particular low-frequency spectrum, the 850 spectra in which they have been dominating for years to the exclusion of APUA.”
“Now, Digicel, in particular, ended up with the low-frequency spectrum and as a result, APU has been placed at a disadvantage and we cannot allow that inequity to continue,” Browne said.
In the case of the 850 spectrum, Browne said “we have gotten the minister of telecoms to write to them to indicate to them that the space should be shared equitably. Now they making all sorts of excuses why it cannot be shared equitably.”
“They are saying on the basis that we are going to force them to share equitably, they are going to go to court and I believe that they have already filed a litigation against the government of Antigua and Barbuda already,” the prime minister said.
He said, “We have decided in the interest of peace and to allow for a negotiated settlement that we will extend the period for them to comply by a further three months. We expect that during that 90 day period that they will cooperate with us.”
The prime minister is calling on both telecommunications companies to cooperate.
“Ultimately the spectrum is an asset for the people of Antigua and Barbuda, and whereas we do not wish to create any situation of inequity, we want to at the same time make sure APUA has a seat at the table,” he said.
“We make no apologies about it and I don’t know how any court can tell us how we can licence our spectrum
We are allowing for due process and for a period of negotiation but as I said to them they need to dress over, small up themselves and create some space for APUA.”
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How was the spectrum initially given out, was it an auction/sale like other countries? If so I can see why there would be reluctance to share something that has been legally paid for.
“There wasn’t any auction sale-whatever the deal,it was given to them by the former government.The question is” What was the agreement between the then government& the two stake holders? Was it above board..What are the benefits for the nation of Antigua& Barbuda ,i would say none..Every employee of APUA both past& present are fully aware of what the intention was back then,to get rid of the local mobile sector(PCS)
So why not allow them to lay fiber cables level the playing field.
In the making.
This man has his nose in everything and is always talking court business before the judges hear or make a decision. What is the duty of the minister of information?.
Watch; …Wait and Listen.’
Likened to former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr. Eric Williams (deceased) who reportedly told his ministers,
‘…Who give you the privilege to object;
…Shut up and have respect;
…I defy anyone of you who try to dictate for me;’ and
…Who don’t like it; …Get to hell out of here’
[Mighty Sparrow: Get To Hell Out of Here: You Tube].
With the ‘…Top Dog,’ no Chihuahua barks.
You know reading your blogs I think you’re a real monkey. I have never seen you bring anything credible to the discussions. You’re like a teenage girl who just love mele’. Share your views why should or why should not apua share the spectrum. But no! You decide to be a 5 year old and bring a child like mind to the blog.
You mean a donkey. A monkey is a quite intelligent creature.
Another nuisance move by the Obnoxious Prime Minister who thinks he is master of all he surveys. I sure saw this coming. You don’t get something for nothing.
APUA needs to be privatized and the government needs to stop this constant interference in the private sector.
SWEETNESS AND PIE- OVERBOARD
Not sure what standard is maintained by this news portal, but you may just have mixed your ‘…Bitterness’ with your ‘…Sweetness and Pie.’
Your ‘…offensive language’ suggests so.
Accept or reject, but this is not a message- ‘…just an observation.’
KEEP IT RESPECTFUL.
Sweetiepie,just what the F are you on? You must be tripping on something.Privatize Apua ? The country sole Water & Electricity provider.You cannot be dam serious,you sound dunce no shit.
You have to excuse ‘Sweetiepie’ that person will post any and any bs just to oppose the present government.
Privatize the APUA telecoms division, which is the topic here if you two savants read the article – not the water or electricity which I might add is practically owned by Hadeed.
Both the UPP and now ALP have tabled bills in parliament to that end only to be roadblocked by the APUA head honchos and now the minister of utilities.
APUA telecoms is both a regulator as it is owned by the government and a competitor to Flow and Digicel, an arrangement which is an untenable due to the fact that it gives APUA an unfair advantage over its competitors.
U need fu go and read back Sweetipe comment which said to privatize APUA.
PS if I’m a servent what are u a ‘Jackass’??
Digicel and flow can go to hell
Digicel and flow are already full of SSSHHH
People should remember the past in order to know their future. Not too long we had Only Cable and Wireless providing us Boat-phone. The prices where astronomical both for overseas calls and Mobile Phones. Than came Air-tel and APUA PCS. And the prices started to tumbling down. Digicel came through the back door and promised to even lower the rates. Unfortunate we had a inept government in place that worked along with Digicel to take PCS out of business. Here comes the competent government and place PCS/Inet back on solid footing. Prices again are tumbling down. But they refuse to let go of the gains they have acquire. And Antiguans are still paying the highest in the region for the slowest speed. These people do not mean us any good. They are only about exploiting us as much as possible as long as we let them. The thing is they are very powerful and will put everything they can in our way.
What is so special about this 850Mhz
You have alot of spectrum between 700 and 900 why not use a combination of high and low
Digicel and flow just need to go only Antigua they rip off. Get rid of them
@ Dessalines- What advantage do APUA have over it’s competitors? First, I work for APUA before PCS ever came to light,and never in APUA’S history was the ALP set out to privatize the telecoms section. The UPP tried all in it’s power to destroy telecoms in order to sell it to Digicel. Had the Ablp not taken power in 2014,that would be a done deal,the apua head honchos according to you has no power to stop that,the power lies in the hands of the Cabinet and the present minister is totally against any such thing and rightly so.We built that Sector,are we not good enough to maintain it?For the knowledge of the mis -informed,the Telecomms sector of APUA for years were the bedrock of APUA,that sector heavily subsidized the Water section,until the Upp dragged it to the ground intentionally in order to have an excuse to sell it.Get the facts before trying to post as if you know everything.
Very good point but you have to forgive the like of ‘Dessalines’ and ‘Sweetiepie’. They are permently politically blind.
Somebody should sue tefing Flow and S^^^tycel for there s^^^y service. Image Antigua pays the most money and get the s^^^^iest service😡
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