TSTT banned from increasing DSL Bandwidth to 512k

TSTT banned from increasing DSL Bandwidth to 512k TSTT banned from increasing DSL Bandwidt

#1 cmad2001

Member

Group: Members
Posts: 15
Joined: 05-July 04

Posted 13 August 2005 - 11:45 AM

Hey Guys,

Got some news ! I recently heard from a reliable source that TSTT had plans to double the bandwidth again on the residential lines to 512k (probably to compete with people like Greendottt) , but just as they were about to announce it to the public one of their competitors complained to the Regulated Industries Comission (RIC) that it would be unfair business practices. Subsequently, the RIC told them (TSTT) that they could not do it and all plans for the upgrade were scrapped !!! :angry:

Suddenly it seems that the introduction of competition into the market may not necessarily be such a good thing !!! :angry:

#2 Guest_Guest_guest_*

Group: Guests

Posted 13 August 2005 - 12:17 PM

well they could try price reduction as an option.

#3 Guest_Sirius_*

Group: Guests

Posted 13 August 2005 - 03:31 PM

If that is true, well we really in the crapper yes. Does the RIC realise how poor internet access here is like? Even on the DSL you could stream audio, but for video? Nah. Internet integrated into everything now and all we could get is a 256k line for a cost that anywhere else in the world you would have 4 and 5 mbit. I up here in Canada for a vacation and when I tell u the internet flying eh. It will be painful to return to my pseudo-DSL back home.

These people just ridiculous.

#4 Guest_Guest_*

Group: Guests

Posted 14 August 2005 - 06:34 AM

cmad2001, on Aug 13 2005, 11:45 AM, said:

(probably to compete with people like Greendottt)

you can't be serious. Green dot service totall sucks compared to TSTT. It's better i take they wireless access point and use it for meh clothes line.

I paid for DSL service and ended up getting 28.8k dialup coupled with the worst customer service ever!! Anyone else had similar problems?? :unsure:

#5 Guest_Guest_*

Group: Guests

Posted 15 August 2005 - 12:03 PM

Quote

Green dot service totall sucks compared to TSTT. It's better i take they wireless access point and use it for meh clothes line. I paid for DSL service and ended up getting 28.8k dialup coupled with the worst customer service ever!! Anyone else had similar problems??

I'm curious, what is your location ? Cause i heard that something about Greendott not being available in Chaguanas. Also, what service issues have you experienced ? No, i dont work for Greendot. But i have a customer who is interested in switching over to them and I want to be able to warn them if they're making a bad move.

#6 Guest_The One_*

Group: Guests

Posted 19 August 2005 - 10:59 AM

The RIC no longer regulates telecommunication in T&T. This is now the job of the TATT.
You were mis-informed.

What would be the legal basis for preventing one carrier from increasing the service to their customers when one of the purposes of the TATT is to ensure the consumer comes out the winner ???

It would then mean that TATT is counter-productive and actually competition is worst of the consumer.

If I were you, I would drop that person as a source of info........

One

#7 cmad2001

Member

Group: Members
Posts: 15
Joined: 05-July 04

Posted 21 August 2005 - 11:01 PM

The "source" as you call it is TSTT marketing personel. Thank you for the correction, you are right, as of 2004 the RIC no longer controls TSTT, it is the TATT. I assume that the "source" was referring to TATT. That said, the source is legit.

The main argument here is that TSTT was blocked (by which ever agency) from increasing the bandwidth because it would have represented an unfair advantage for TSTT. On TATT's website it is clearly stated that the the first funtion of the authority is to "To establish conditions for an open market for telecommunications services including conditions for FAIR competition." The competitors' complaint was that they could not compete with TSTT if they increased their bandwidth on dsl to 512k probably because they (the competitor) cannot offer 512k to their customers.

One has to remember that TSTT still has monopolistic control on the internet access in Trinidad and Tobago. Most ISPs still purchase a connection from TSTT to the internet.

#8 adilas

Member

Group: Members
Posts: 23
Joined: 19-January 04

Posted 24 August 2005 - 11:38 PM

Hey All,
Been out of the country for a few months. I wasn't aware that TSTT now had broadband DSL competition. What's the deal with "Greendottt" and other(s)? My TSTT contract is about to be up shortly, so i'm officially in the market for broadband access again. What TSTT HSIA alternatives are available in the Diego area?

Thanx

#9 Guest_Altec_*

Group: Guests

Posted 24 August 2005 - 11:46 PM

I'm very disapointed to hear that TATT has prevented TSTT from offering 512K DSL service. But then again, if we now can expect multiple vendors offering 256K, we can hopefully expect some price competion and hence price drops at the 256K level. I guess after the market is matured with competitors, the 512K restriction might be lifted in the name of "fair" competition. In any case, i'm guess we won't be seeing anything greater than 256K for the foreseeable future.

#10 Terabyte

Member

Group: Members
Posts: 14
Joined: 24-August 05

Posted 25 August 2005 - 09:48 PM

i sent an email to TATT asking about this allegation.....I received the following response:

"The Authority has not taken any such action."

TSTT appears to be sticking as usual.

#11 adilas

Member

Group: Members
Posts: 23
Joined: 19-January 04

Posted 25 August 2005 - 10:03 PM

Perhaps the person who responded to your e-mail request was unknowledgable about the TSTT limitation? Someone from a completely unrelated department perhaps? Either cmad2001 source or this TATT responder is correct.

#12 Terabyte

Member

Group: Members
Posts: 14
Joined: 24-August 05

Posted 25 August 2005 - 10:23 PM

The person who replied is the "Senior Manager Communications, Public Relations and Consumer Affairs" at TATT. My email specifically directed TATT to this post.

#13 adilas

Member

Group: Members
Posts: 23
Joined: 19-January 04

Posted 25 August 2005 - 10:28 PM

If that is the case, then there must be some other reason TSTT halted the 512K upgrade (if it ever intended to in the first place).....

#14 woodyear99

Board Warrior

Group: Members
Posts: 282
Joined: 16-August 05

Posted 27 August 2005 - 04:02 AM

Can ne1 call tstt/talk to someone in there to find out if anything is going on for upgrades? 256k is embarassing for dsl access.....

#15 Guest_Roger Williams_*

Group: Guests

Posted 01 September 2005 - 12:52 PM

We should concider that without competition we would still have 128k. So competition gave us twice the speed at least.
Still, when I thing about the state of IP communication in TnT all I feel is sadness.
I want 1.5m, not 512k.