This document sets out the Fair Trading Commission’s “Commission” determination and rationale for the continuance of standards of service for the regulated fixed telephony services of Cable & Wireless (Barbados) Limited “Cable & Wireless”.

The Utilities Regulation Act, CAP. 282 (URA) provides for the determination of standards of service by the Commission. In discharging this responsibility the Commission sought to be transparent in its decision making processes and issued a consultation paper as mandated by the Fair Trading Commission Act, CAP. 326B (FTCA). The Consultation Paper on the Review of the Standards of Service for Cable & Wireless was issued on October 29, 2008.

The purpose of a standards programme is to ensure that a minimum quality of service is maintained, provide incentives for improvement, create conditions for customer satisfaction, monitor service quality and generally protect the interest of consumers of telecommunications services.

The Guaranteed Standards of Service require that Cable & Wireless make a compensatory payment to each individual customer who is affected by their failure to meet the defined target for the relevant standard.

The Overall Standards of Service are designed to reflect the overall performance of Cable & Wireless and are not defined by the service which an individual customer receives. There is no compensation to customers for failure to meet overall standards.

The standards also include details of exemptions. Exemptions refer to situations where the Commission considers that failure to meet the standards is outside the control of Cable & Wireless.

Service providers, representatives of consumer interest groups and other interested parties were invited to comment on the paper. The consultation period concluded on November 28, 2008. The Commission received only one written response which was from Cable & Wireless itself.

The Commission analysed data from Cable & Wireless standards of service reports over the period 2006 to the present and met with representatives of the Company. Based on these discussions and meetings, the Commission has revised the Guaranteed and Overall Standards in the standards of service programme as well as some sections of the exemption clauses and monitoring system.

This decision gives a full description of the revised standards of service. These revised standards of service will be applicable from April 1st 2010 to March 2013.

Decision