NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) last night said that it plans to appeal a $209,000 fine imposed by the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA), calling it "unwarranted and excessive."

The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) was hit with a fine for violations against the regulator's number portability rules back in 2022, a conclusion the company said it did not agree with. 

Stephen Coakley-Wells, BTC's Director of Legal and Government Affairs, stated in response to URCA's decision: "BTC does not agree with URCA's conclusion that it has violated MNP rules and finds a penalty, where there was minimal impact to both consumers and our competitors, to be unwarranted and excessive. "We treat any assertion that we have violated our regulatory obligations very seriously and plan to appeal. BTC continues to deploy substantial resources towards enhancing its systems to mitigate interruptions and views this as a better application of its capital for the benefit of consumers."

URCA, in a statement, noted that the determination came after an in-depth investigation into complaints regarding delays in mobile number porting requests involving BTC and Be Aliv Limited (Aliv) on November 25 and 26, 2022.

The regulator stressed that mobile number portability (MNP) is a critical service that allows consumers to retain their mobile telephone numbers when switching from one service provider to another, promoting competition and consumer choice within the telecommunications sector. 

Under the Communications Act of 2009 and subsequent URCA determinations and orders, licensees are required to facilitate this process within specified timelines to ensure efficiency and prevent consumer detriment. 

The regulator noted that BTC was found to have breached the established rules by failing to comply with the timelines for responding to Porting Approval Requests on November  25 and 26, 2022. "Such delays in the porting process undermine the effectiveness of MNP, negatively impacting consumers' ability to switch operators freely and benefit from competitive service offerings. 

"As a result, URCA has ordered BTC to pay a fine of $209,487.91 within 30 calendar days from the issuance of the order issued on 12 April 2024, as per section 109 of the Communications Act. Failure to comply with this order may result in additional penalties, including a fine not exceeding 10 percent of relevant turnover," the regulator stated.

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