Is the call rate from Turkeyen higher?

Dear Editor,

GT&T has changed its calling rates in Turkeyen claiming it’s not in Georgetown when for the past few years I have been using the service under the ‘Georgetown’ rate.

I am a University of Guyana student and I make overseas calls every day. I was paying $20 per minute to the US until GT&T did an “upgrade” and now I’m paying $35 per minute. We have seen how much this telephone company has overcharged us for international calls before the competition – Digicel – came into the picture. I don’t know if it is trying to make up for the money it has lost in advertising and promotion for the past year but it is really unfair to take it out on the customers. Instead of getting 25 minutes, I only get 14 minutes using a $500 card.

I have a lot of expenses studying and now this. When I enquired from one of GT&T’s customer representatives she told me that Turkeyen is not in Georgetown so therefore I have to pay $35.

I don’t care what GT&T is claiming; I see it as a way of making money. It can’t get it from the cell phone service so it is finding other means of doing it.

Yours faithfully,

(name and address supplied)

Editor’s note:

We sent a copy of this letter to GT&T and received the following response from Mr Terry Holder, Deputy General Manager (Public Communication):

“It is assumed that the letter writer used the 0171 option on our landline phone card, since it is on this service that we offer $20 per minute to the USA and Canada.

Contrary to the complaint, our rates remain $20 per minute throughout Guyana, without any discrimination to boundaries.

However, we are mindful of the customer’s concerns and we ask that the letter writer contact our Manager, Customer Service with the card in question, which would allow us to investigate the claim and provide a rebate if necessary.”