The nationﾴs only privately licensed telecommunications operator announced another addition to its service offerings on Tuesday, unveiling its new phone cards.
The entrance of IndiGO Networks, a subsidiary of Systems Resources Group Limited (SRG), into the telecom market is viewed by government officials and others as significant as it represents the first significant competition for The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC).
The government had been hoping to privatize BTC by now to better position it for the liberalization of the sector, but has been unsuccessful in doing so because the initial bids were not favourable enough.
As IndiGO launches its service, BTC is being prepared to compete in the new environment, according to BTC officials.
The $5 and $10 phone cards represent IndiGO Networksﾴ first non-corporate sales offering to the public.
The new phone cards will offer features such as inter-Bahamian island calling, worldwide calling, and calls from any touchtone or cellular phone.
Channel Sales Manager for IndiGO Networks Jason Kinsale said at a press conference that the need is great in The Bahamas for the services his company is offering.
ﾓWe believe that we have addressed a market that has been completely underserved in the Bahamas,ﾒ he said.
ﾓThis market includes the Haitian market, Jamaican market, tourist market, and the Bahamian market. At this point in time the only real option out there is to go into a store and purchase a gray market card which sometimes does not work, has high long distance rates, and is not very reliable.ﾒ
He added, ﾓNow Bahamians have an opportunity to purchase cards that are reliable, have lowest international calling rates on the island and is available at virtually any store.ﾒ
IindiGO network has already commenced corporate services in the Bahamas and will launch residential services by summer 2005.
The governmentﾴs telecommunications sector policy that was revised in October 2002, made reference to a modernized telecommunications system as essential to the economic development of the country.
IndiGO sees this as the governmentﾴs recognition that privatization and liberalization of telecommunications are a critical pre-condition for achieving the necessary objectives for economic development.
IndiGOﾴs license is a first step in liberalizing telecommunications in the Bahamas in line with government policy, the company said. The companyﾴs license allows it to provide service to customers in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco.
IndiGO officials say they are already offering corporate services and plan to offer residential services by next summer.
While the new telecommunications company will be competing with BTC, the firms have entered into a connectivity agreement so that callers calling from one network to the other will be able to do so without any problems.
Perez Clarke, The Bahama Journal
