The Tribune

The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday said it had made good progress with the restoration of its mobile network in Grand Bahama.

Garfield "Garry" Sinclair, BTC's chief executive, said: "Our crews have made really good progress on restoring all services to Grand Bahama. Mobile service has now returned to West End, Bootle Bay, Bootle Bay West, Eight Mile Rock, Bain Town, Lewis Yard, South Bahamia West, Freeport, OPM Bahamia, Taino Beach, Midshipman, Our Lucaya Hotel, Our Lucaya Indoor and Chesapeake.

"We are also restoring fixed services as commercial power has been reconnected. We've been able to identify operational equipment and immediately connect customers, in addition to repairing and replacing the damaged equipment where necessary.

"Landline and Internet services are currently available in West End, Bootle Bay, Eight Mile Rock, Roosters, GB Shipyard, Freeport, Yorkshire Drive, Lucaya, Midshipman, Taino Beach, Green Turtle, Oceanhill Boulevard, Balao, Oceanside Drive and Suffolk Lane."

BTC said it continues to offer free wi-fi services in Grand Bahama at the Grand Lucayan hotel, Christ the King, St George's High School, St John's Jubilee and The Church of the Ascension. Free wi-fi is also still available at Calvary Baptist Church, the Kendal Isaacs gymnasium and Fox Hill Community Centre in New Providence.

BTC added that it remains focused on restoring services to the Abaco Cays, and the Big Bird Farm community is expected to be online within the next few days.

It has provided free mobile services to all customers in Grand Bahama and Abaco since September 4, resulting in both voice and data traffic now exceeding pre-hurricane levels. Prepaid billing for mobile services in Grand Bahama will resume today, and billing for postpaid mobile customers will restart on October 1.

However, postpaid customers will continue to receive unlimited data until further notice. Also, effective from today, Grand Bahama prepaid customers will receive double-data with every "Always-On" combination plan purchased. Abaco customers will continue to receive free voice and data service until further notice.

The company's "click to donate" campaign is ongoing so that customers can donate to the Ranfurly Home for Children. It has more than doubled its numbers over the past few weeks, as they are now accommodating children evacuated from the Grand Bahama Children's home as well as those displaced as a result of Hurricane Dorian.