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ROAD TOWN, BVI: Digicel BVI Ltd has successfully
completed negotiations with CCT Global
Communications to co-locate on nine cellular sites
in the British Virgin Islands and has identified a
further 13 sites which have the potential for
co-location.
As requested by Minister of Communications and
Works, Julian Fraser, telecommunications providers
here met again to come to an agreement on tower
sharing.
Fraser convened a meeting last Tuesday July 8 with
the three licensed mobile telecommunications
providers, Cable and Wireless (BVI) Ltd, CCT Global
Communications and Digicel (BVI) Ltd, where it was
agreed that it is in the best interest of the
territory to share towers wherever possible.
The agreement followed an announcement by government
last month to put a freeze on the erection of
cellular towers in the territory until further
notice, in response to concerns expressed by the
public about health hazards and aesthetic issues
especially in residential areas and school
districts.
Speaking after today’s meeting, Chief Executive
Officer, Digicel BVI, Alan Bates, said the meeting
was very successful, despite the fact that the Cable
& Wireless CEO did not attend stating that he had a
scheduling conflict and was unable to clear his
calendar.
“We received word late last night from Cable &
Wireless that their officials were unavailable,
however, Digicel and CCT went ahead with the meeting
as per Minister Fraser’s instructions to arrive at a
quick resolution to this issue,” Bates said.
“Needless to say, we are very disappointed that the
other operator did not come to the meeting, for
which we all had adequate notice and for which the
Minister had cleared his calendar for an entire day
to facilitate.”
The Digicel CEO said in respect of Minister Fraser’s
mandate, Digicel carefully prepared for this meeting
to ensure that there was a positive outcome. “I am
therefore pleased to report that Digicel has
successfully concluded arrangements with CCT to
co-locate on nine (9) towers as of today’s date,
with a further 13 under technical consideration,” he
said.
The providers are required to officially submit to
the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission TRC on
Wednesday July 16, the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting
for consideration at the planned meeting by the TRC
on Friday July 18, 2008
Bates reiterated that “all towers that will be
constructed by Digicel will be provisioned to
accommodate all three operators.”
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