Press Release, Smart-November 12th
Today Speednet Communications Ltd. filed an application for an injunction against Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) in the Supreme Court of Belize. The application for an injunction became necessary after BTL served Speednet with a notice of termination of service via certain links effective November 14, 2014 which will leave almost 7,000 Smart customers in the Toledo District without access to voice and data services.
Over the past five years, Speednet has worked diligently and invested millions of dollars to build out its own network which would allow the company to become fully independent. This major investment project has been successful throughout the rest of Belize and is underway in Toledo. Speednet expects to complete the Toledo project in the next few months.
Speednet switched its communications link in Toledo to BTL and service has been in place since July 27, 2014. Once this service went live Speednet terminated its service with its previous service provider. Just five weeks later Speednet received a notice of service termination from BTL which is to be effective on November 14, 2014. Speednet has informed BTL that its previous service provider is unable to provide the service to Speednet, and that Speednet’s installation in Toledo will be completed shortly. Nevertheless, BTL insists that it will withdraw its services.
Speednet has written to the Public Utilities Commission which has said that it is not in a position to intervene.
Speednet’s number one concern is the quality of service offered to all its customers, and in this instance, those in the Toledo District. This recent act of hostility by the dominant telecoms operator is another attempt to undermine Speednet’s ability to service its customers and to try to garner greater market share. Since BTL has taken an unreasonable position on this issue, it has become necessary to seek the court’s intervention to protect the 7,000 customers the company services in the Toledo District. It is incomprehensible that the government controlled BTL would deprive the people of Toledo of telecommunications services during the Hurricane and Christmas Seasons. The notice period by BTL is impractical and insufficient and Speednet’s request is to be allowed adequate time to finalize its current project so that customers are not disenfranchised.
Speednet takes this opportunity to thank all its customers, especially those in the Toledo District, for their support and loyalty during this time. Speednet remains committed to providing high-quality, uninterrupted telecommunications service to all its customers
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