Laqtel beaten in CDMA race

[Plex]

Local telecom concessionaire Laqtel may have a licence to launch a CDMA network in T&T, but Digicel yesterday announced the launch of CDMA roaming in the Caribbean and Bermuda, making it the first GSM operator in the region to simultaneously offer GSM and CDMA on its mobile network.

In its initial stage, CDMA roaming is being introduced to five of Digicel�s 22 markets, including Jamaica, Bermuda, Aruba, Cayman Islands and Barbados.

�When traveling to the Caribbean, many US mobile customers experience poor service and erratic network coverage from CDMA Caribbean operators,� said Mario Assaad, Digicel Group chief technical officer. �Now, they can come to the Caribbean and have reliable mobile service by roaming on our seamless mobile network.�

The announcement follows Digicel�s signing of a three-year partnership agreement with Vodafone Group, which will allow customers to seamlessly access their home services as they travel on each other�s network as well as jointly develop enhanced roaming capabilities and become preferred roaming partners.

The launch, which coincides with Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean, came at the time Laqtel had said it would begin to offer its CDMA service.

But financial setbacks have left the company struggling for a launch by June 30, the latest date by which it would be able to launch the service under the terms of its licence from the Telecommunications Authority. The licence would lapse if Laqtel fails to meet the deadline.

Group founder, Dr Joseph Laquis said the company had applied for an extension of its concession as its relationship with two partners�Canadian outfit, Sasktel and Palestinian-based, Paltel�had suffered.

He said that it has suspended contracts with 23 employees until May 8 to reduce the cash strain in the company. He said by next week, all outstanding arrears to the company will be paid.

�We are cash-strapped,� he admitted, �We cannot keep employees until we have everything in place so we will do things to minimise expenditure.�

The company�s four-storey building on Sackville Street, Port-of Spain, was advertised for sale in January but outstanding arrears were quickly paid.

He said that employees are free to pursue other employment opportunities in the interim but would be called in on a �needs basis.�

As for Laqtel�s launch?

Laquis, who had set several deadlines before, declined to identify a date.

I am not going to set a date until I have US$71.4 million to launch a full blown CDMA network,� he said.

Guardian