Cable Bahamas "will not entertain" the idea of a third cellular license in 2018 as the government mulls over the applicants for the country's second cellular services license, according to a Cable Bahamas spokesperson. David Burrows, vice president of marketing for Cable Bahamas, told Guardian Business that the company would neither focus on a third license nor provide additional information and communication technologies (ICT) services ahead of the government's decision in May.

"Right now we're focused strictly on the second license, we're not even entertaining the concept of a third license right now. The only thing that Cable Bahamas is laser focused on is the second license," he said.

Digicel Head of Business Development Frank O'Carroll told Guardian Business last week that the company would likely not bid for the possible third license in 2018 given the limited size of the cellular market, and would instead pursue other opportunities in The Bahamas' ICT market. However, Burrows said that Cable Bahamas is not currently focusing on providing any other ICT services aside from mobile services. Burrows also dismissed claims that Cable Bahamas had erected test cellular towers, stating that the company only operated towers for its existing licensed services.

Despite proposed infrastructure sharing regulations from the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA), which would see the second licensee sharing cellular towers with BTC, Burrows said he is unsure whether Cable Bahamas would opt to construct its own towers to compliment its pre-existing infrastructure.

Prime Minister Perry Christie announced last week that the Cellular Liberalization Task Force had narrowed the applicants for the second cellular license down to Cable Bahamas, Digicel and Virgin Mobile and hoped to announce the winner by May. Christie said the government would control a 51 percent stake in the new company formed to receive the second license. Burrows said the arrangement is not a concern to Cable Bahamas.

"As every other person that would be bidding for this license, we all bid understanding how everything would be set up. This is not anything that is a surprise to anyone. Everybody understands completely what the rules are going in, so there are no issues with Cable Bahamas in that structure," he said.

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