Dear Editor,
It’s good for cell phone subscribers that Digicel is finally here.
With the presence of Digicel, GT&T now feels they should be loyal to their customers. For too many years GT&T had the monopoly on the provision of cellular services in Guyana. Now that there is viable competition GT&T is playing the role of catch up or follow the leader. I am pretty sure that GT&T could have long ago introduced the per second billing method, since the technology for this was available at the time of launching of cell phone services in Guyana by GT&T. Now with Digicel coming on stream, they are fully aware that Digicel will provide the per second billing system along with many more features and so they have been forced by competition to provide per second billing to their customers before Digicel opens its doors.
Well let me inform the public and all those GT&T Cellink Plus customers that over the years while GT&T was billing you for one minute, when you only spoke for 30 seconds they were profiting substantially. If GT&T’s management has any conscience, they should give back some ‘free talk time’ to their valued customers to show at least they care about them and are committed to providing best service, best network, and a strong signal. Come on GT&T let’s see how much you care. I am looking forward to a response.
Yours faithfully,
Ray Ramdass
Editor’s note
We sent a copy of this letter to Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Co. Limited for any comments they may wish to make and received the following response from the Public Relations Officer, Ms Allison Parker:
“Ray Ramdass in his letter to your newspaper argues that GT&T has introduced per second billing and other features only because of the competition it faces. That argument is not entirely unexpected.
Mr Ramdass should know that the rates charged and the system of billing are prescribed by the Public Utilities Commission and it is outside of GT&T’s jurisdiction to determine how much, how or when in the applications of changes. It is the PUC’s call.
Mr Ramdass should also know of the inconvenience experienced by some customers in the past and of how the company has consistently been keeping its customers and the general public informed of the work that has been going on in improving its network coverage and capacity.
The introduction of per second billing instead of billing by the minute obviously reduces the cost to the consumer and, experience will show, leads to greater usage of the network and consequently places increasing pressure on it.
Already our records already show that, with the change in billing, customers are making greater use of their phones since the PUC introduced ceiling and floor rates.
Without increasing the capacity, per second billing would have led to congestion and increasing inconvenience to cellular users.
GT&T takes very seriously its obligation to its customers as it does its obligation to itself.”
