Antigua gov't to mediate Digicel, APUA telecom dispute

The Antigua & Barbuda government says it will intervene in the ongoing dispute between the island's main telecommunications providers that has left mobile telephone users without some services.

"The Government of Antigua and Barbuda is fully committed to working diligently with all the providers to resolving this impasse in the shortest possible time, as well as to sustaining a sound telecommunications regulatory environment," said the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications in a statement.

It said it has become aware of a major disruption in mobile calls emanating from and terminating on the platform of Digicel and that this has resulted in Digicel customers being unable to connect to both LIME and Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) mobile customers, as well as a disruption in connecting to APUA residential and commercial landlines.

"The disruption has also affected inbound calls to the Digicel network from all other providers, including inbound and outbound international calls," said the information ministry.

Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Telecommunications, Dr Edmond Mansoor, said he has convened two emergency meetings to discuss a number of complex issues related to the causes of the disruption.

"I have invited senior representatives of APUA, LIME and Digicel to meet with the Telecommunications Officer and myself and to discuss what appears to be a series of disputes between APUA and Digicel," said Mansoor.

"I am aware that both Digicel and APUA have been embroiled in a number of ongoing commercial disputes, some of which are the subject of litigation. I am also aware that both Digicel and APUA have already made public statements on the newest development."

He said he has asked the telecommunications providers "to use acceptable and well-established mediation routes" to settle their differences without having to resort to the disruption of services that greatly inconveniences tens of thousands of people.

"I have also reminded all the telecommunications players in the marketplace that the existing laws, regulations and agreements that govern the telecommunications sector apply in equal measure across the board," Mansoor said.

- CMC