Honourable Julian Fraser intervenes and outlines process for Tower sharing

Following the meeting convened by Minister Fraser, where he put aside an entire day of his calendar

to deal with the matter, it was agreed that the three mobile providers, Bmobile, CCT and Digicel would meet on Tuesday July 15, to discuss how they would share their collective towers.

At the meeting the Digicel CEO, Alan Bates did a presentation – the only presentation of the meeting – just how Digicel has managed the building of cell sites giving valuable information about radiation and the set back distances from towers to be built.

Bates also pointed out that any tower constructed by Digicel would be able to accommodate all three providers.

Honourable Julian Fraser Outlines Process

JOSE  LUIS FERNANDEZ OF CCT GLOBAL COMM. EXPRESS HIS COMMITMENT

ELFORD PARSONS EXPRESSES C&W COMMITMENT TO PROCESS

ALAN BATES, DIGICEL CEO COMMITS TO MINISTER’S OUTLINED PROCESS

Minister of Communications intervene in cell site construction impasse

Minister for Communications and Works the Honourable Julian Fraser held a meeting held with the three cellular mobile providers at the Long Bay Beach Resort’s Conference Room on 8 July, 2008 to discuss the sharing of cellular towers. Also pictured to the Minister’s immediate right is the Acting Permanent Secretary Mr. John Samuel. Sitting at the left of Hon. Fraser are Elford Parsons, Keisha Durham and Karim Persuad representatives for Cable and Wireless (BVI) Ltd.

Government freeze building of mobile cell sites on BVI

On July 4, 2008 the government of the BVI announced that construction of all cell sites in the territory should cease following an outcry by residents regarding the building of new towers once Digicel started to build out its network.

Residents expressed their concerns about the proximity of the towers to residential areas and schools in particular and the possibility of destroying the beauty of the landscape.

The government responded by saying that until the Telecommunications Act could be amended mandating all operators to share tower space, that all further cell tower building should cease.

Minister of Communications and Works Julian Fraser, speaking in a recent meeting of the House of Assembly, raised alarm about the proliferation of cellular towers in the territory with the advent of liberalization.

He said many people have complained to him as communications and works minister, to Premier Ralph O’Neal as minister for planning and to Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Dancia Penn. He said letters and petitions “are coming left, right and center”.

Fraser said the telecommunications industry has been allowed to act with relative impunity and that privilege was abused. “Something has to be done, Mr. Speaker, and it has to be done now,” he said.

Fraser said carriers have resorted to tactics only an experienced jurisdiction could have anticipated and they have found ways to keep portions of the monopoly they once enjoyed alive.

Read story here: http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17626267

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