The Tribune

CABLE Bahamas' application to increase monthly charges by up to 28 per cent for two of its subscription television channels and introduction of a new six-channel basic service has been approved by the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) after a year-long consultation process.

The decision, announced in a statement on Thursday evening, allows Cable Bahamas to raise its prices permanently for its 'REVTV Prime' and 'REVTV Business Prime' packages (collectively ‘SuperBasic’). The REVTV Prime price for residential subscribers will go up from $30 to $38 per month, a rise of 27 per cent, while the Business Prime charge for commercial subscribers increases from $50 to $64, a 28 per cent rise.

The proposed new Basic Television Service (to be marketed as ‘Prime Local’ or 'REVTV Prime Local') is expected to cost $10 per month and will comprise the mandated ZNS Channel 13, the Parliamentary Channel, CALA Weather, Jones Communications Network (JCN), Bahamas Christian Network (BCN) and PBS - WPBT2 Miami.

The approval allows Cable Bahamas to implement the new prices in those geographic areas where it has a two-way digital cable network only - New Providence, Abaco, Grand Bahama and parts of Eleuthera. This is because the new Basic Television Service will also be offered in these areas.

URCA said in its statement that "for the elimination of doubt, CBL shall not implement the new prices in any area of The Bahamas where CBL has not also launched the proposed new Basic Television Service. In addition, any further implementation by CBL of the REVTV Prime package in any new areas will require a new application and URCA’s further approval".

URCA said that while it has accepted Cable Bahamas' roll-out plan for the new Basic Television Service for the time being, which offers approximately 90 per cent of Bahamians a choice between REVTV Prime and a lower-priced Universal Service Obligation package, it has advised the company that it is not satisfied with the proposed channel line-up.

"URCA has advised CBL that it considers that it would be reasonable and a demonstration of CBL’s commitment to the Bahamian public, for CBL to offer a more favourable channel line-up within its USO pay TV package, including those channels that it provides free of charge to residents in specified Family Islands, which channel line-up includes ZNS Channel 13, Parliamentary Channel, ABC, NBC, Fox and CBS," the statement said.

URCA’s approval of the application for the new basic service is "conditional on Cable Bahamas fulfilling certain obligations, including a review and revision of the proposed late fee and the implementation of an appropriate public awareness campaign to ensure that the public is fully aware of the new Basic Television Service, along with terms and conditions".

Cable Bahamas submitted the applications in October 2014. The "extensive" public consultative process, URCA said, included town hall meetings in New Providence, focus group meetings in Abaco, Grand Bahama and Eleuthera and written comments from the public.

The full statement of results and final decision document can be downloaded at http://www.urcabahamas.bs/download/008474400.pdf