From next year, Guyanese and overseas investors will be able to benefit from “unlimited and inexpensive” bandwidth when GT&T’s second fibre optic cable becomes operational, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of GT&T Yog Mahadeo says.
In a telephone interview, Mahadeo was asked to respond to recent statements by Geoffrey Da Silva, the Head of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), that GT&T’s prices for bandwidth were a deterrent to overseas investors and that these rates may have cost the country between 2,000 to 3,000 jobs.
The statements were made at an Investment Seminar held at the International Conference Centre as part of the Guy Expo Festivities, when Da Silva was responding to a question posed by an overseas participant about the availability of Information and Communication Techno-logies (ICTs) locally.
The CFO acknowledged that the current rates were high when compared with the prices in other Caribbean territories but he blamed this on the shortage in the local supply. “Whenever there is a shortage of supply, economic theory says that the price will be affected”, he said. Mahadeo further explained that one of the reasons for the high cost of bandwidth was that GT&T had invested in full satellite back up for voice services.
At the seminar, Da Silva had said that some firms involved in the call centre business had informed him that they were being charged US$8,000 for bandwidth services. He said that during meetings with some of the large international call centre companies, representatives had pointed out that what is preventing them from investing in Guyana is the high cost of bandwidth. He also noted that several call centres had ceased their operations.
When asked if the company was concerned that its high prices had reportedly deterred overseas call centres from investing locally, Mahadeo said that there are call centres operating locally and that GT&T had good working relationships with these companies.
He said that if indeed other companies had been deterred from investing in Guyana because of the high price for bandwidth, they could start setting up their businesses now since by mid-next year the price for bandwidth would be very “competitive”.
Mahadeo, however, said that it was unfortunate that the telecommunication sector was always being targeted. The CFO said that GT&T was committed to giving its best to the country.
He said that this sector depended on electricity and stated that the issue of a stable electricity supply is a serious one that would concern investors.
Da Silva said that that competition may be necessary to get the best rates and stated that there had been negotiations with French investors for them to run another fibre optic cable to the country. He was, however, unable to say how these negotiations were progressing. Da Silva, however, said that options were being pursued.
A senior official at GT&T, who requested anonymity, told this newspaper that contrary to what many believe GT&T does not have a monopoly on bandwidth since there are other sellers of bandwidth in the country. The official said that these persons get their bandwidth off a satellite and sell it to customers.
HI HO SILVA PAY ATTENTION TO THE FACTS AS STATED BY GT&T, WHY WERE YOU NOT THERE TO HEAR THEM …… THEN READ IT HERE IN SN.
What do you expect GT&T to say. It was the same GT&T who was billing us per minute for cell call when they fully knew that per second billing technology was available.
Lind.creek. GTT is not offering any fact, its only a projection. It will be a fact when the situation becomes a reality. What DaSilva is saying is the absolute FACT….not a mere projection.
Thanks! Brian we are grateful when Guyanese on the ground get involved in these Blogs and set the record straight for BLIND.CREEK
colin whatever!France Telecom(Orange)is still billing us by the minute for cell phones in France.
Marc first of all it is colin2nice. Secondly, I don’t live in France. Funny you did not compare what you are paying per minute. Or maybe I should just say to France with you!
There is no way the prices should be that high even if they are using satellite technology for bandwidth services.
You are telling me that if you are purchasing a transponder @ 40 Mbps and you have multiple customers sharing that pipe you still have to charge 8,000 dollars for 1.5 mbps?
Why are long distance calls 90Cents per minute?
Isn’t surinam and other countries in the region using the same fiber and underground pipes? how come they are so much cheaper?
Promises and more promises after 17 years of placing square pegs in round holes. The decision makers in Guyana are too reactive and make the worst procrastinators seem precipitous. What does it take for someone to be dismissed or demoted?
Borapork, GT&T is not a government corporation. As a minority shareholder the 17-year-old government has virtually no say about square pegs and round holes within GT&T.
Yasuman 71: The threat of nationalisation can concentrate the mind of the most profit hungry capitalist. As a public utility the government is not totally hands-off and can still crack the whip when it’s necessary.
Yo “BORAPORK: FOREVER A PATRIOT”! Are you quite sure that you did mean to say “The threat of nationalisation (and COMPETITION) can concentrate the mind of the most profit hungry (MONOPOLIST and not just the) capitalist”! A Desmond Hoyte snafu that was “perpetuated” by the PPP Administration after they were thrust into office minus the votes of overseas-based Guyanese.
Competition, Competition, Competition…..
I should have added: (And with the “APPLICATION BEING THE NETWORK….” Now, “All Your (GUYANESE DATA CENTER) Base Are Belong To US”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksFqjI3gyAo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9oh3gqOEKU
:-D :-D :-D
Cool!
Did/Could the Desmond Hoyte Administration justify the sale of these Guyanese-owned important (communications assets) which were wholly owned and controlled by the L. F. S. Burnham Administration. Why bother anyway since these important communication assets are majority U. S. Company controlled for now.
“God Bless America”!
This explanation if a farce, how come other countries using this same connectivity has had cheaper rates for more than 5 years now?
GT&T story is not adding up it is like one of them Jagdoe fancy story about the dynamics of financial flows.
bring on the bandwidth we are being rob with our bandwidth by private internet
GT&T is being less than candid with Guyanese, they are not being truthful, they need to drop the prices for long distance to reflect the regional rates other countries are getting right now.
Not next week not next month not next year. Guyanese need to stand up to these companies and let them know we will not accept their Bull$^%#$%^ any longer.
Enough is enough. Lower the rates or else.
SN do a follow up question with this chap so we can understand what is the markup on bandwidth in Gy, what is ATN’s ebitda?
….. dem wah complainin here abt gt&t is de very same ones who accepted as genius wen hoite sell de monopoly ! de negotiators fum gtt understood de philosophy of the political culture in de so called third world countries ,, moreso in de c’bean ,, an at de time wen de pnc was juss b4 de splash inde abyss ,,, ignominously bankrupt ,,, gtt took what any all investors do !…. my point here is ,,, fuh all de profits sucked fum de nation ,, an de fact dat by not doin lang bfoe now wah dem now plan fuh duh wid de introduction of fibre-optics is clearly impedin de progress of a nation by witholdin technology for national development ,,,,
i don’t get it with some of ou people here. y’all praise and love america: captalist utopia. in guyana now, we have private people providing services and y’all complaining and want govt to nationalize things. yet y’all complain about govt’s incompetent and inefficiencies. make up your damn minds!
He is not saying nationalize he is saying use it as a negotiation angle.
Yo “Quibian”! Re” “i don’t get it with some of ou people here. y’all praise and love America: (capitalist) utopia. in Guyana now, we have private people providing services and y’all complaining and want govt to nationalize…”
Is there still the taste of “nationalized sour grapes” still mouth over DEMBA; or, what!!! And, what is wrong with “bloggers” here pointing out the folly of not putting self “America” or “Guyana” first – huh! Besides, just where do “They All Come”?
This should have read: “Is there still the taste of “nationalized sour grapes” (in your) mouth over DEMBA; or, what!!!
…..yo kaichor gole ! seenyah analiss ,, de way ,, an de tings u duz rite is indicative of ur mental make up ,, which is like unto eggs wen dem addled….
gwan suh wid yuh dotishniz ! wid yuh “are” belong to US !…
which skool u used to teah ,, as yuh seh once a teecha alwa… thank gad ,, none ah me pickney dem was neva in u class ! or skool !……
Yo “michael tannassee”! Ah beginning to like ya focus on d topic; and, “which skool u used to teah ,, as yuh seh once a teecha alwa… thank gad ,, none ah me pickney dem was neva in u class ! or skool !……” then, if I were you I would attempt to understand and appreciate dat a man does not stop leaning until death; so, if ya taking a bit long to get de “mind share” drift as far as de Microsoft Windows, Linux, OS/2 Warp….. Operating Systems are concerned; also, as it is said ” Charity Begins At Home”; then, it is understandable if ya can follow de lower and upper case us/US.
So, this time until de next time keep ya “mind” open and in this way de “imparting” (continuing educational process) will continue from de cradle to de grave.
BTW, how me buy am (dem Videos) from “YouTube”…. ah suh me go sell am!
Besides ya know… deh have some bright, bright Guyanese ya know; and, as simple as ya see dem Guyanese/former Guyanese (depending on de allegiance….) deh can tell ya about “minute particles”…. much less about information and communication technologies and you get de “helping de university under-graduate and graduate to become better graduates” drift. And, dat was de level ah de educational involvement.
So, let us known from de perspective ah de “Analyst” when to begin de relevant teaching (how to do wan feasibility study…) where de bauxite industry in Guyana is concerned. And, you can attend de classes without leaving de comfort of ya home “GT&T” Style.