The Commission initiated a public consultation to review the current mobile termination rate (“MTR”), fixed termination rate (“FTR”) and transit service rates in TCI because it was of the preliminary view that the current maximum allowable rate limits for these interconnection services are high relative to underlying costs based on evidence from Caribbean and European jurisdictions. The consultation process allowed interested parties to provide submissions in response to the evidence and proposals in this respect set out in the Consultation Document issued by the Commission in February 2014. Cable & Wireless (TCI) Ltd. (“LIME”), Digicel (TCI) Ltd., and Islandcom Telecommunications Ltd. provided input through this process.
COMMISSION DECISION
The Telecommunications Commission (the “Commission”) has determined that the maximum allowable mobile termination, fixed termination and related transit rates in the Turks and Caicos Islands (“TCI”) will be reduced in a phased manner over the course of the next three years. The Commission expects that these reductions will result in consumer benefits over the course of the coming years, including in the form of lower retail calling prices. Based on the Commission’s benchmarking analysis, and taking into account the submissions of interested parties, the Commission has determined that the maximum allowable interconnection rates should reduced starting July 1st, 2014 as follows:
- MTR to be reduced from its current level of U.S. $0.0850 per minute to U.S. $0.0750 per minute as of July 1, 2014, U.S. $0.0675 per minute as of April 1, 2015 and U.S. $0.0600 per minute as of April 1, 2016.
- FTR be reduced from its current level of U.S. $0.0300 per minute to U.S. $0.0220 per minute as of July 1, 2014, U.S. $0.0195 per minute as of April 1, 2015 and U.S. $0.0170 per minute as of April 1, 2016.
- The Transit Rate to be reduced from its current level of U.S. $0.01500 per minute to U.S. $0.01100 per minute as of July 1, 2014, U.S. $0.00975 per minute as of April 1, 2015 and U.S. $0.00850 per minute as of April 1, 2016.
