From:TheBahamasWeekly.com
URCA Opens Second Round of Consultation re: Proposed Infrastructure Sharing Regulations
By Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA)
Mar 3, 2015 - 2:23:04 PM
The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA)
today commenced the second round of consultation on its proposed
Infrastructure
Sharing Regulations. During the first
round of consultation, which closed on February 13, 2015, URCA received responses from three companies,
JazzTel Bahamas Limited, BTC and Cable Bahamas Limited. These responses may be viewed on URCA’s
website at www.urcabahamas.bs/consultations.php?cmd=view&article=389.
As The Bahamas prepares for the liberalization of the mobile
sector, with the imminent introduction of mobile competition, URCA’s role is to
encourage the development of competition in the Electronic Communications
Sector by reducing barriers to entry. URCA is cognizant that the high costs
associated with the deployment of an electronic communications network represent
one of the most significant barrier to entry in the sector. The proposed regulations supports one of
URCA’s key functions of promoting the availability of a wide range of high
quality, efficient, cost effective and competitive electronic communications
services throughout The Bahamas from those licensees who will be subject to
these Regulations.
Additional benefits to infrastructure sharing include:
·
Ease of network roll-out by a new entrant
·
Availability of a new source of revenue (for
existing operators)
·
Improved quality of service and increased
consumer choice
·
Avoidance of duplication of towers;
·
Minimization of adverse visual and environmental
impact of towers; and
·
Reduction of negative environmental impact
The second round of consultation will close on Wednesday, March
11, 2015. Interested members of the
public may submit feedback to the responses received to URCA’s Chief Executive
Officer as follows:
·
by hand to URCA’s office at UBS Annex Building,
East Bay Street, Nassau; or
·
mail to P.O. Box N‐4860, Nassau, Bahamas; or
·
fax to (242) 393‐0153; or
·
email to info@urcabahamas.bs
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