NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS (25 March 2022): The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (“URCA”) issued a Preliminary Determination on its Retail Cellular Mobile Market Review and Assessment in accordance with Section 39(1) of the Communications Act, 2009. The exercise fulfills the Regulator’s statutory mandate to complete periodic reviews of the country’s mobile sector and is the first such review since mobile liberalization in 2016.

URCA’s ‘Preliminary Determination’ evaluates the local retail mobile market landscape and provides a detailed comparison of the two national mobile network operators (MNOs); BTC and ALIV. Moreover, URCA seeks to determine if certain regulatory measures meant to promote fair competition between the two MNOs and prevent abuse by the identified Significant Market Power (SMP) remain relevant based on the recent entrant’s ability to establish itself and capture significant market share in the past six years.

In its findings, URCA submits that neither MNO holds a dominant position in the market and, as such, certain ex ante regulatory rules should be eliminated. Specifically, URCA suggests that Retail Pricing Rules should no longer apply to BTC’s retail mobile only bundles and standalone mobile calls, SMS or data. URCA suggests that the existing notification/approval procedures and the required bi-annual margin squeeze test reporting obligationswill no longer apply to these services.

Before any changes, URCA submits the document for consultation and invites all stakeholders to provide their feedback on four key questions related to URCA’s assessment of the current national mobile landscape, the market position of MNO and its preliminary decision to remove certain ex ante regulation, described above, within a 15-day timeframe.

Written responses or comments on this Preliminary Determination should be sent to URCA’s Chief Executive Officer, either:

•            by hand, to URCA’s office at UBS Annex Building, East Bay Street, Nassau; or

•            by mail to P.O. Box N-4860, Nassau, Bahamas; or

•            by fax, to (242) 393-0153; or

•            by email, to info@urcabahamas.bs.

The Retail Cellular Mobile Market Review and Assessment is available on URCA’s website (www.urcabahamas.bs).

A  copy of the document can be downloaded here.

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Media Contact:
Arnette Ingraham
Corporate and Consumer Relations Manager
Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority
Telephone: (242) 396-5242
Email: aingraham@urcabahamas.bs