The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority (URCA) plans to introduce quality service standards for the communications industry this year, in a bid to tackle network availability and dropped calls.

The regulator’s director of policy and regulation, Stephen Bereaux, said consultation was set to commence mid-year, adding that URCA intends to put in place standards that must be complied with by all operators, failing which sanctions will be imposed.

“URCA will also introduce a network level of quality service standards during 2013, with our consultation set to commence in mid-2013. This will put in place standards for matters such as network availability, throughput, call completion, call drop rates on a network wide basis. URCA intend to put in place standards which must be complied with by operators, failing which sanctions will be imposed by URCA,” said Mr Bereaux.

He added: “We are concerned that better service can be provided, but also we are concerned that it’s not there already, and that we don’t have in place a set of clear guidelines so that when a matter is raised it is clear whether the service provider is doing what they meant to do or not.

“What we want to be sure of is that we at least meet best practice standards anywhere and, hopefully, our operators will exceed those standards through competition and other measures.”

Mr Beareaux added that URCA will be reviewing some of the key regulatory measures already in place to ensure they represent the most effective manner to achieve its mandate.

URCA also plans to launch public consultations on a set of consumer protection measures at the end of the 2013 first quarter.

Some of the issues to be addressed include customer contract and sales issues; fault repairs and service interruptions; billing credit and debt management; and protection of consumer information.

“URCA intends to conduct its consultation on this initiative in the widest possible manner, and to that end we will be conducting general and targeted consultations throughout the Bahamas. We hope that participation in that consultation will be at least as wid spread as the consultation on Cable Bahamas’ price increase,” said Mr Bereaux.