BVI Telecoms Minister orders cell providers to share cell towers

By L.K. Hewlett

Minister for Communications and Works the Honourable Julian Fraser held a meeting held with the three cellular mobile providers at the Long Bay Beach Resort’s Conference Room on 8 July, 2008 to discuss the sharing of cellular towers.  Also pictured to the Minister’s immediate right is the Acting Permanent Secretary Mr. John Samuel.  Sitting at the left of Hon. Fraser are Elford Parsons, Keisha Durham and Karim Persuad representatives for Cable and Wireless (BVI) Ltd.  (Photo by GIS/Aldrin Rabsatt)

CCT Global Communications, Cable and Wireless bMobile and Digicel officials were all in attendance when Frazer made his demands clear.

“It is my endeavor to see liberalization work. What I’m seeing out there is no indication of it working…I see chaos. 

We will proceed to look at the many areas in the territory where these towers are and find out from the various providers why there are three towers in one location and after they have told us why we will then ask the question ‘why not one’.

“After receiving the answer, if it’s not favorable we will proceed to say to you…make it work because that the only answer, unless there is something else out there technical or otherwise that we don’t know about…sharing is the answer,” the agitated Minister told the gathering.

Public concern over multiple cell towers in a single location and perceived ‘indiscriminate’ placement of said structures had prompted Cabinet to direct that the erection of cellular poles cease until the Telecommunications Act had been amended. At the House of Assembly sitting, Hon. Frazer said that the telecommunications industry throughout its history has been allowed to operate with impunity, and for the most part that privilege was abused.

~~Adz:Right~~ "The carriers on the other hand with the benefit of international operators are versed in every style and tactic there is, and they also know how far to push the envelope when it comes to its competitors; take in the case of cell towers popping up in back yards near you --- how is this allowed to happen? Is it the absence of legislations or is it a lack of concern? I say both. In the days of monopoly people were used to having it all for themselves so why are we surprised that they don't want to share," the Minister had stated.

Frazer proceeded to inform Cabinet that the situation had become so chaotic that one company placed their poles on a basketball court within 10 feet of a private residence, another company placed their pole across the street, literally on the fence of the first company's property while yet a third pole had been erected less than 200 yards away from the other two.

These poles, he said, were all located in the same neighborhood and were reported to be over 100 feet high.
He declared that these telecommunications companies' "wanton display or disregard of human health, safety and well being should not be allowed to continue".

Therefore he announced Cabinet's decision to remedy the situation by directing that there be a freeze on the erection of cellular poles and that the Telecommunications Act be amended, thus making it mandatory for carriers to share towers.

Alan Bates, Chief Executive Officer of Digicel BVI responded to Fraser’s directive saying, “Digicel wholeheartedly supports the government as they seek to solve this problem. We’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that a minimum number of towers are built in the BVI.”