The recent announcement by mobile telephone providers, LIME and Claro, of their intention to cut their interconnectivity tariffs is a step in the right direction. The providers must be lauded for giving their customers something that is long overdue.

Although such a move might have been motivated largely by those two smaller providers wanting to cut into Digicel's customer base, it should nonetheless inspire the telecommunications ministry and the Office of Utilities Regulation to see to making this the reality across all networks.

Currently, the rate of a phone call between networks can be as high as more than twice the rate for making a similar call within the same network. This therefore necessitates the customer first examining the dialling prefix of the number he is about to call to determine whether it is an intra- or inter-network call. Some people actually maintain a phone for each provider so that they can call for less by only making intra-network calls.

The Government must see to the reduction of the inter-network connection fees to the point where there is ultimately no differentiation in the rates of calling across networks. Additionally, steps must be taken to allow for mobile number portability.

Switch freely

One should be able to freely switch from one provider to the next without being made to give up or change his existing number or otherwise encounter any unreasonable hindrance. The technology exists to make this happen.

The Jamaica telecommunications market is sufficiently developed for mobile portability to come on-stream and for the discontinuation of the high interconnectivity tariffs that are still in place. The high interconnectivity tariffs allow the providers to continue to profit heavily, if not unreasonably, from the penalty they impose on their customers for calling outside network.

It is high time that these reforms form part of the larger liberalisation of the telecoms industry so as to ease the burden on the consumers and to bring them even greater benefits.

I am, etc.,

KEVIN K.O. SANGSTER

sangstek@msn.com