BTC adds 1,200 more clients to fibre network

THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) says it has connected a further 1,200 customers to its fibre-to-the-home infrastructure as it proceeds with the network's nationwide roll-out.

The carrier, in a statement, said it has now linked Cooper’s Town, in Abaco, and New Providence's Sandyport community to the network. And it has begun work on upgrading Stapledon Gardens in a bid to complete fibre-to-thehome's New Providence roll-out this year.

Shantell Cox-Hutchinson, BTC's director of technology operations, said: “We are focused on delivering a truly reliable customer experience. Over the last few weeks, we have been aggressively pushing to upgrade customers to fibre services to reduce - and eventually eliminate - the number of customers using our legacy copper services.

"BTC’s fibre-to-the-home service provides faster speeds, and much more reliable service, not to mention more value for money. We aim to upgrade all our customers that are in areas that have already been 'fiberised'. Customers love the speed, and the convenience that fibre brings, and they also love the agility of our Flow TV services. We are on track to have New Providence and Grand Bahama fully fiberised by the end of 2023. A number of Family Islands are also earmarked for upgrades this year as well.”

Franklyn McCoy, a resident of the Mayfield Park Subdivision in Freeport, said of BTC's fibre service: “There is no lagging in the connection, and I am able to get my classwork done quickly, especially when I have to upload certain programs. The speeds are 100 percent faster in my estimation, and I would most definitely recommend fibre to others.”

Susan Stubbs, a resident of Bootle Bay, Grand Bahama, added that fibre was installed in her home four months ago. “My Internet is up and running, and I honestly don’t have any issues as before. I would most definitely recommend infrastructure. There’s so many moving pieces to these kinds of projects and co-ordination is what brings them to fruition. When you look at anywhere else in the world, these types of things happen and a massive effort takes a lot of co-ordination.”

Speaking for the drivers, Harrison Moxey, the United Public Transportation Company’s (UPTC) president, said: “We will soon be sending some stuff out to tender and some to be able to educate themselves on how to not be credit dependent, and how to ensure that they have good credit.

“So I don’t think that it’s a bad thing. I think, right now, with the economy as it is, this is a good thing, especially the younger persons who are probably now just coming and accessing credit, or coming out of high school, getting a small credit card to build that credit.

“I think this is something good for our economy, knowing that economically we do have issues regarding debt. But it’s a possibility of a better, more cost effective policy existing in the open market.” He also expressed unhappiness that BPL has been recalling retirees to work, describing it as "the blatant morale busting practice of rehiring persons who have received hundreds of thousands of dollars in upfront cash through a voluntary separation agreement, which also includes additional thousands of dollars a month for the same persons for the rest of their lives in monthly pension annuity payments.

"This is creating a state of negative and low morale amongst the staff who have demonstrated nothing but loyalty to this company. The discriminatory and questionable hiring practices, promotions and disregard for the registered agreement, which clearly states you must return to work if you were wrongfully dismissed. Despite a court ruling that has exonerated a staff member, the company is outright refusing notices for the drivers. The network isn’t up and running now, but all of that will be coming into play the same time as the dispatch centre is completed and fully outfitted.

“The office is really critical before we get anything operating for the bus drivers. We will be getting some quotes in for the cameras and all of that stuff, so we are lining things up.”

The pilot programme for the bus unification programme was launched country project. It’s not that the credit bureau has been put in place to stop you from being able to access credit. No, we want you to access credit responsibly, and know that you can manage it responsibly and this is a way to encourage that and to ensure that.”

The credit bureau’s main role is to provide lenders with greater insight into a potential borrower’s creditworthiness, especially whether they have a strong track record of repaying previous loan obligations in full and on time. Those who display such a history will find it easier to access to reinstate the member in accordance with the agreement.”

BPL, in response to the union's issues, said it "notes the union’s concerns". It added: "BPL advises the union and the public that its management and Board of Directors are committed to addressing those concerns as well as maintaining amicable relations with the BEWU in the best interest of the more than 800 associates in New Providence and the Family Islands.”

Mr Wilson, meanwhile, said BPL had failed to come up with "a short or long-term business plan for future projects or future projections for the company, or its cost of direction" plus the "clear in 2017, but the initiative has undergone several changes since it was first developed. For example, previous plans did not fully account for the difficulties in organising all of the various franchise owners into one single entity. In addition, the pilot did not use a bus tracking system but a dispatch system, which is a new dynamic in the project involving the UPTC and Bluestone Labs. credits, while lending institutions will find it easier to assess and price risk.

Only registered institutions that have an agreement with the credit bureau can access to a potential borrower’s credit score and rating. Around 50 percent of the country’s population are now included in its database, and Ms Nixon said: “We do not have the entire population, but I think it’s about half. I think we’re almost at half, but I’m giving you the number based on my report done at the end of last year.” establishment of protocols and guidelines for natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics and hardship conditions".

BPL was also accused of failing to recognise long service employees and refusing to pay the cost of living renumeration outlined in the industrial agreement.

Mr Wilson said: “The union assures the public that we will not act irresponsibly. But we will do what we have to do to secure our benefits. Therefore, let the chips fall where they may. This union is willing to use whatever tools are available in our box if management persists with the attitude of ignoring and disrespecting the union.” fibre to others in the community," she said.

As for New Providence, fibre-to-the-home has so far been installed in Pinewood Gardens, Soldier Road, Sea Beach Estates, Westridge, South Beach, Coral Harbour, Cowpen Road, Bacardi Road, Pastel Gardens, Gladstone Road, Tropical Gardens, Gambier, Westwinds, Silver Gates, Jones Heights and Sandyport.

Margaret Hanna, a resident of Pastel Gardens, said: “I now have super-fast Internet speeds and there are no outages or interruptions at all. There was a period last year when my granddaughter was schooling virtually, and thanks to BTC’s fibre she could seamlessly do her research online as there was never an issue connecting."

BTC’s implementation of fibre-to-the-home started in 2016 in New Providence and Bimini. Since then, the network has also been installed in Exuma, Grand Bahama, Abaco, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Long Island and Cat Island.