Telecommunications sector Essay Example for Free

Telecommunications sector Essay Belize Telemedia Limited is the new name of Belize Telecommunications Limited in Belize which was instituted in 1972 as the telecommunication authority. The Belizean telecom market was formally and authoritatively reformed and became less strict in January 2003; however Belize Telecommunications still has the control in the telecommunication market (Mansell 56, 2007). With limited rivalry and unproductive regulatory control, it has fixed very expensive charges for its services. VoIP is the case study which reveals a controversy in the Belize telecommunication industry. Although the government and the regulatory body collaboratively confirmed to promote competition in the telecom sector, in reality BTL was successful in conspiring against VoIP to remove competition. However, BTL has to face competition in the mobile sector where SpeedNet has successfully covered 18 percent of the market. At present, BTL prides on 335000 fixed landlines, 130000 cellular consumers and 8000 internet customers. BTL has more than 475 expert and capable workers with 15 branch offices spread countrywide (Mansell 56, 2007). The aims and objectives of BTL is to develop, engineer and install high tech network and technologies and to offer best communication services and facilities. The company is dedicated to increase its existing wire line, mobile and internet services by getting on-stream a broad range of matchless, unsurpassed services and facilities to the consumers. Additionally, its dynamic, quick and efficient network provides its consumers consistent, efficient, trusty and finest service accessed in the vicinity, all over the country, regionally and globally. BTL headquarters are in Belize City. It has 15 customer service centers installed countrywide. Telemedia is concentrated on increasing further than the national boundaries so that there is increase in investor value, development and promotion of new opportunities for workers and assistance in the economic development, progress and increase of the nation of Belize. Telemedia offers HomeFone Service which is a fixed telephone line service. It provides three latest and reasonably priced plans to residential customers. These plans offer distinctive alternatives which includes limitless night and weekend minutes, unlimited, unrestrained monthly usage, etc. Each package offer services such as caller id, voicemail, 24 hours contact to Operator, telephone directory, etc. Telemedia’s wireless service offers its consumers the basic telephone service (Calabrese 225, 2007). The consumer can avail other suitable features that will improve communication requirement for residential or commercial purpose. It offers the users to receive calls locally, countrywide and globally. Econo-Phone is another service which gives full access to Telemedia Prepaid telephone service at affordable rates. The user can keep an eye on the amount of time he or she spends on the phone and can make calls all over the world. Econo-Phone works as a prepaid cellular phone. The user can also enjoy facilities such as voice mail notifications, caller id, internet services, etc. DigiCell is cellular service that uses GSM. It is operational at GSM 1900 and offers advanced, improved superiority, improved voice clearness and wide-ranging safety measures (Calabrese 225, 2007). It is considered to be Belize’s most highly developed and ground-breaking mobile service. It offers increased collection of voice and multimedia services. DigiCell encrypts all voice and data, thus making it more secure. DigiCell also offers innovative solutions for business and residential consumers by means of DigiCell Prepaid services. It offers short message service, data and international roaming service, call hold, call waiting, caller id, voicemail, etc. Telemedia’s Once Card can be used to avail all the Prepaid Services that are offered. When the consumer buys a Prepaid card, e-PIN or Fone TopUp, he or she is no longer requires to select between regular or DigiCell prepaid card. Further, this card can be used as a recharge or calling card. Fone TopUp is electronic recharge arrangement that permits representatives and distributors to supply electronic pins or immediately top up a prepaid number with any value. Belize Telemedia Limited has successfully increased its wireless coverage nationwide, covering most of the rural communities in Belize by deploying Nortel wireless technology (Cronin 29, 2007). This technology has completely replaced the old Belize Telemedia existing GSM structure given by Nortel competitor; as well deploy a new CDMA 450 MHz network to hold up Telemedia’s emergent subscriber demand in Belize and the requirement for more superior, high-tech products and facilities countrywide. .Telemedia’s existing wireless setup has been improved and enhanced to Nortel GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/1900 MHz wireless network which offers superior network coverage and connectivity for the consumers. In addition, the operator has launched a completely new network laid on Nortel CDMA xRTT and 1xEV-DO technologies in the 450 MHz range, to expand services and assist to seal the means of communication space in rural society (Cronin 29, 2007). According to Dean Boyce who is the chairperson of the executive committee at Belize Telemedia, the Nortel technologies has successfully enhanced the reputation of Belize Telemedia and also given wide-ranging services which has strengthen Telemedia’s network. The execution of CDMA/EVDO platform and the utilization of 450 MHz frequency have successfully provided voice and high speed internet services to consumers present in rural areas which has accelerated Belize economy. Belize Telemedia’s network substitute and improvement also includes Nortel all-IP products such as Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture, Mobile Switching Center and Home Location Register, allowing operators to back up numerous services and applications on the unchanged, consistent platform. The Belize government welcomed the 2004 sale of the nationwide telephone corporate to a U.S-Caribbean organization as a moment of guarantee and affiliation. The main highlight was the $90 million deal (Fox 103, 2007). However, the agreement was tattered and became a story of officially permitted and oral clash. The clash started when Musa management took full authority of Belize Telecommunication Ltd from Prosser and his company after the failure to pay $57 million to the government for the phone company. Prosser filed a case in which he demanded the court to give out a command that would invalidate the boardroom occupation and put him back in charge. Prosser’s attorney was Lanny Davis who criticized the Belize government by calling it lawless after the assembly approved a law allowing the occupation of specified telephone company shares after Prosser’s non-payment. In the initial stages of the case, U. S District Judge Ursula Ungaro-Benages instructed Belize to invalidate its conflict against ICC, and then hit the government with a disrespect, scorn allegation for refusal to comply, signifying that Belize authorities gave the impression to want to be hit over the head by a 2-by-4. UngaroBenages passed the verdict which favored the Belize government. The liberalization of the telecommunication market at various phases, from Guatemala to Costa Rica remains government owned. Costa Rica’s fixed-line tele-density is the highest in South America while that in Guatemala is 40 percent less than the complete South American average, which shows that fixed line privatization and competition are no assurance of the development there. The study reveals that low fixed line tele-density causes leapfrogged unswervingly into mobile communications. Mobile competition is intense and diffusion is far away that would be anticipated bearing in mind their other macroeconomic pointers (Fox 103, 2007). Belize is the only exemption since it has national owned mobile company. Broadband services also vary greatly among these seven countries. Efforts are being made to liberalize Belize’s telecommunication market. Belize stands out from its neighboring countries as a financial leader, having already commenced the internet trend that would hit its neighbors in the entire South American Region. The interests of foreign companies to chase the liberalization of the Belize telecommunication market set up in the country and use that country as a launch pad to launch its rising information technology business throughout the area. The initiation of foreign competitors in the Belize telecommunication market needs a legitimate alteration and adjustment to suspend the current government utility company’s domination in the market.