Comments on: CellOne Applauds Government Legal Move

By: Former M3 employee

Former M3 employee — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 04:37:59 +0000

The new merged company named as CellOne is now majority owned by Bermudians, but it has an affiliation with a US shareholder known as ATN, the merger resulted in ATN becoming a minority shareholder.

By: just thinking

just thinking — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:59:45 +0000

The RG has already provided considerable facts when they published the names of the senior civil servants in the Ministry of Telecommunications. It would appear from their list that the Acting Director/Senior Legal Counsel as a matter of public knowledge is the spouse of the Digicel CEO. That may go along way in explaining why Digicel appears self-assured that they followed all of the correct legal and regulatory steps.

Digicel may have inadvertently shot itself in the foot by filing their ex parte application as all the facts surrounding the regulatory approval of the Transact acquisition will now come to light.

Cellone 1

Digicel 0

By: THE HELL!!

THE HELL!! — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 22:32:13 +0000

We all know that this country is run by idiots who speak out of both sides of their mouths. Let them (Digicel) have it competition is good for the consumer. Especially when the service is already way overpriced.

By: Sitting Watching

Sitting Watching — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 00:39:24 +0000

This Minister with Responsibility for Telecoms keeps saying the Telecoms Licence Scheme has not changed. What rubbish !

1) The Introduction of CELEA (this allows police and other to monitor and calls) A CHANGE
2) M3 and Cellular One Merge into one company (one Company (CELLONE now holds a 2 Class B licenses) A Change
3) Northrock holds class C Licence (Long Distance and ISP) yet they are rolling out a Mobile phone net work A CHANGE

The Telecommunications Act was written in 1986, this was before the advent of the internet. The world has advanced so much since then. The Department of Telecoms struggles to remain up to date.

The Department and Minister promised the new Legislation would be inacted 2 yrs ago. Do they expect industry to stand still and wait ?

Long distance is now dominated by Magic Jack, Vonage and Skype. None of the afore-mentioned is provisioned for under our current legislation and two of the 3 afore-mentioned is illegally being used in Bermuda with the Dept powerless to regulate or stop the use of them (Vonage/Magic Jack

Instead of the Minister saying that he has to hasten regulatory reform and that will become his main priority. He now backtracks and supports cellone, this after giving Digicel a licence.

What double talk, didn’t this man not authorize the biggest telecoms merger in our Country’s telecoms history (m3 and cellularone) !

We have a healthy market and in the absence of the Ministry regulating the Market, it is regulating itself ! These companies (Digicel Irish owned) Cellone (ATN US owned) want to maximize on profits and they are only in Bermuda for that purpose. International Companies will think twice about investing in Bermuda if we do not have a properly regulated Telecoms market.

Minister gives a licence (has all the facts and grants the licence) faces opposition from the competitors with reference to the licence, so he asks for a “do over” and says that he does not agree with his own decision (granting the licence).

I am an outsider looking in, so I could have this wrong.. I look forward to observing the court proceedings. Clearly this is going to be an interesting saga.

By: STEWEY BABCOCK

STEWEY BABCOCK — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 23:00:34 +0000

Before us is an Epic battle of unbridled greed displayed by all parties involved .

By: in the know

in the know — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 18:34:46 +0000

just let the deal go through. the companies againest this just need to step their game up.

By: cricket fan

cricket fan — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:31:27 +0000

I really wonder if you understand what the Law is? It is clear when you get several cellular companies speaking out about it, that it is unfair what is going on! Now if you were an onwer or employee of one of these companies you would speak out too! And stop with this ‘ONLY IN BERMUDA’! There are many examples of this in other places! Just look at the bill presented on US base companies in Bermuda before the Houses in the States!

By: bermudaborn

bermudaborn — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:43:35 +0000

Only in Bermuda (and a smattering of other backwards places) is there actual legislation to prevent society from moving into the modern era, by providing products & services that benefit the customer. OK we need jobs, but at the expense of progress…!?! Does that make sense? Why do we need multiple companies doing what one could do so much better? Answer: To pay more than the same service would otherwise be available for! What a joke! This is like entering a NASCAR race and being told you cant shift higher than 2nd gear! Result: We will lose the race!

By: d reader

d reader — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:43:50 +0000

judges says yes
govt say no

lets see who blinks first