PUC halts new Digicel rates ads

The Public Utilities Commis-sion (PUC) yesterday ordered Digicel to immediately withdraw all advertising of new rates even as the company declared that it is willing and ready to fight any legal action its competitor, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) mounts, and will aggressively defend its legal right to provide low cost international calls.

Further, GT&T obtained an ex parte interim injunction yesterday restraining Digicel from advertising commencing, running or operating an international call service other than through interconnection with GT&T or without first obtaining a licence to do so as required by the provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1990.

Digicel Guyana began offering its lowered international rates this week following a decision of the High Court last week Friday which said in part that GT&T’s monopoly is