Implementation of Fixed Number Portability (FNP) in The Bahamas is expected to begin on December 2, 2013 as per URCA’s October 29, 2013 Determination. FNP will allow customers switching voice services from one provider to another, to do so without having to change their telephone number. Service Providers have met testing and readiness criteria, making the start possible everywhere in The Bahamas where fixed line telephone service is offered by more than one provider. In the October Determination [URCA document reference ECS 15/2013] the two service providers, the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) and Cable Bahamas Limited (CBL), were required to…
On November 19, 2013, the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) issued a Final Determination on the implementation of Fixed Number Portability (FNP) in The Bahamas, which addresses issues related to cost allocation and cost recovery [URCA Document Reference ECS 17/2013]. The Determination follows URCA’s July 30, 2013 Preliminary Determination on the implementation of FNP [URCA Document Reference ECS 11/2013] in which URCA outlined its proposal for cost allocation and cost recovery. Operators were permitted to respond to URCA’s proposal. URCA’s consideration of their responses is included in this Final Determination. URCA’s review included issues related to internal set‐up costs,…
On November 4, 2013 the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) published for public consultation a “Proposed Review and Revisions to the Regulation of Retail Prices for SMP Operators – Rules” [URCA document reference ECS 16/2013]. The document revises the retail pricing framework released in April 2010 [URCA document reference ECS 15/2010]. As per the intent of that initial 2010 release, URCA and the industry have been able to assess how the Rules have functioned since being implemented. This consultation therefore seeks to: Address concerns raised by the Bahamas Telecommunication Company Limited (BTC) and Cable Bahamas Limited (CBL) on how…
The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) will sponsor two youth at the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU), BYND 2015 Global Youth Summit in San Jose, Costa Rica next month. Both are recent graduates of The College of The Bahamas. Audison Beaubrun, who completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Kyle Walkine who completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Journalism. Audison is currently enrolled at the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) for PhD studies in Applied Mathematics; and Kyle is employed at the Jones Communications Network (JCN) where he is a reporter. The BYND 2015 Global Youth…
