MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands Chamber of Commerce demands improved telecommunications

A clear strategy with SURE by 2019 detailing how it will remove all data limits and introduce a ‘fair usage policy’ to broadband services

The Falkland Islands Chamber of Commerce ended 2016 by reiterating that the provision of modern telecommunications was absolutely crucial for the development of Falklands “business community, economy and society as a whole.”

 A piece in the latest edition of Penguin News indicates that the Board presented a position paper to Members of the Legislative Assembly in relation to required essential improvements to the service provided by SURE, and “future regulation capability of FIG that would improve the Falkland Islands user experience and allow businesses to develop technologically.”

They asked for the following:

• An immediate doubling of data on all packages

• An agreed clear strategy with SURE by 2019 detailing how it will remove all data limits and introduce a ‘fair usage policy’ to broadband services

• One-third of all SURE annual profits from their Falkland Islands business to be reinvested annually into maximizing bandwidth and speed with improvements to the mobile network

• No increase in costs to customers but a clear strategy to reduce costs to consumers over the period of the license

• Significantly enhanced local area network for local traffic, caching of international content and enabling local streaming of local content to relieve some of the pressure on the satellite to reduce data usage for consumers, to relieve some of the pressure on the satellite bandwidth and to remove local usage from allocated bandwidth

• Significant and realistic allocation of funds by FIG to ensure that a highly qualified consultant can be utilized as a regulator, with local staff in place to help with the day-to-day logistics of regulation

• An annual review of available technology and network efficiency to be introduced to ensure that time isn’t wasted before the 2019 review of the license

• Publicly available financial records for the SURE Falkland Islands business unit to offer transparency and ensure credibility of the performance of this vital exclusively provided utility.

The Chamber suggested that regarding the issue of self-provision, “there would be no need for anyone to self-provide if the services offered by SURE met customer requirements. However, the opportunity for self-provision should not be made overly onerous or unreasonable if businesses or individuals choose to self-supply.”

They reiterated that the fundamental requirement of the license for the business and residential sectors was that the Islands telecommunications provision “develops over its life to a position where telecommunications are no longer recorded as a barrier to business in regular surveys and reports. We anticipate that if the developments listed above were implemented, this would be achieved.”

Stacy Bragger speaking on behalf of the Chamber said: The Chamber continues to progress matters to carry out legal challenges if appropriate. The unfortunate manner in which the key documents; draft Bill, draft License, KPI’s, Price Cap, Code of Practice and Cartesian report were made available to the Chamber and the public necessitates
that the Chamber keeps open all possible avenues to ensure a satisfactory outcome for businesses and the public over the next 12 years.” (PN)