The new telephone rates announced by the Public Utilities Commission came into effect today June 1st and to publicize the rate changes, BTL put out a two-page advertisement in today's Amandala.
But if you picked up a copy of the paper, you might be wondering what has really changed, well that's where Keith Swift found himself and he went to the BTL sales department for answers from Marketing Executive Rosanna Burgess.
Keith Swift Reporting,
It is June 1st, the first of the month and those waiting in line today at BTL's Church street office might get a break on next month's bill because today BTL unveiled what it calls its 'Afford-A-Phone' plan and if you qualify it will now cost you as little as $5 a month for basic phone service.
Rosanna Burgess, BTL Marketing Executive
"Several people have 'econo-phone' because they want to be able to use the regular telephone cards to make calls and these people get a monthly bill for $20 if they are residential customers. With the 'Afford-a-Phone' plan, the people will still get a telephone number, all the benefits that they have similar to 'econo-phone' but because it's targeted to the low income customers they will pay a $5 a month line access and maintenance fee."
So what will you get for that 5 dollars a month? Well BTL Marketing Executive Rosanna Burgess says it will be just like a regular prepaid telephone only cheaper: you will get a number, caller-id, and there's more.
Rosanna Burgess,
"'Afford-a-Phone' plan will have all the benefits similar to econo-phone in terms of unlimited incoming calls, access to emergency calls, caller-id, and voicemail notification."
And not least on the list is that you can as always make unlimited calls using those prepaid cards; that is of course if you have a couple thousand dollars spare to invest in them. And there is one catch: its called 'Afford-a-Phone' because it is only for those who can't afford it. Burgess explains the marketing irony
Keith Swift,
"How do you qualify for this plan? Who determines who is eligible?"
Rosanna Burgess,
"In order to eliminate any kind of biases, BTL has linked up this program along with Social Security's database so to qualify you would need to have a valid Social Security card, not be a minor nor a dependent, be employed and be contributing the minimum social security contribution. Or you can be a senior citizen on the non-contributory pensioner's scheme handled by social security. Now if you by any chance do not appear on that database, there is a review committee established under the direction of the Public Utilities Commission who will consider your application if there should be any error where you feel that you should be considered for this plan."
And well that is the end of the good news or any news because in the double page spread in today's newspaper what's new is old and what's old is new, meaning not much has changed. There are small decreases in international direct dialed calls, and other inter-district calls. In fact for regular users, the only really good news is for those living in Cayo, and those who are still using IDD and not 10-10-199.
Rosanna Burgess,
"I can tell you on a call by call basis if that's the pattern and that's the area they call it will be like 33% from the 15 cents a minute to 10 cents a minute. And if they make international calls direct dialed to the USA we have had a rate reduction from $1.75 for peak rates and that is now $1.60. And for off-peak rates we moved it from $1.50 to $1.40. So it's on a per call basis rather than on a lump sum bill.
But one thing you won't hear BTL talk about on June 1st is interconnection, because that promise seems to have gotten lost like a dropped cell call.
If your question is about cellular interconnection rates, which also came into effect today, the most reliable information seems to be that it's not happening anytime soon. Angry that the PUC did not decide a rate for interconnection between INTELCO's fixed lines in the government service and BTL's system, INTELCO executives seem to be saying that it won't move on cellular interconnection until the PUC comes up with a connection rate for those fixed lines...meaning 'don't hold your breath.'