New telecoms row brewing

A new telecommunications feud is brewing in St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

On one hand is Karib Cable, on the other is LIME.{{more}}

Karib Cable, this country’s newest landline service provider is fuming that answers are not forthcoming from LIME regarding the matter of interconnectivity of calls between Karib Cable and LIME.

“When will Karib Cable customers in St.Vincent and LIME customers in St.Vincent be allowed to talk to each other?” questioned Justin John, Marketing Manager of Karib Cable/Kelcom International, in a press release issued on Wednesday, adding that a week has gone by since Karib Cable has asked this question publicly.

John stated that Karib Cable has an approved Interconnection Agreement with Digicel and is aware of an approved Variation Agreement to the approved Interconnection Agreement between Digicel and LIME.

Fitz Huggins of LIME’s Marketing and Corporate Communications Department in a response to Karib Cable’s accusations refuted the claims made.

“LIME does not have an interconnection agreement with Karib Cable,” said Huggins.

Huggins explained that a Calling Line Identification (CLI) test carried out discovered that there seems to be a technical problem on the transit network (Karib Cable via Digicel to LIME) that is not delivering CLI to the LIME mobile and landline handsets. He said LIME does not have this problem with delivery between LIME and Digicel networks.

“CLI delivery between Karib Cable and LIME network does not work,” said Huggins, adding: “According to the interconnection agreement, CLI must be delivered, for example, in the event of fraud or criminal investigation CLI becomes extremely important.”

Huggins, however stated, that once this problem is rectified, the circuits that will allow calls to transmit from Karib Cable to LIME and vice versa would be opened for regular traffic.

In the 12 point statement which seeks to clear the air on Karib Cable’s claim of LIME refusing to interconnect, Huggins said, the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) is fully aware of the situation as both parties, LIME and Digicel, involved in the testing of circuits have responded to the NTRC’s request for an explanation of the delay in opening circuits for the transit of traffic between both networks. (HN)