GT&T seeks rate increase in Landline Service; PUC to decide
By Tracey Khan – Drakes
The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) is seeking the permission of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to increase the fee of its landline service.
iNews understands that the PUC will hold a public hearing on Friday, August 29, at Cara Lodge, where it will decide whether it will approve the proposal by GT&T.
According to the proposal submitted by the telephone company, it is seeking to increase the rates by various percentages which will vary between 30-40 percent.
In the proposal, dated June 30, 2014, the Telephone Company states that “GT&T hereby applies for approval of a tariff regime establishment a change of rates in some instances and new rates in others”.
In justifying its reasons for an increase, the Company stated: “Since 2002, GT&T has been subject to material increases in cost and material decreases in revenue. While GT&T has made significant investments in improving the efficiency of its operations and daily service, its output costs have increased so significantly that they have outstripped these efficiency gains”.
GT&T also highlighted the approval of increases to the electricity and water sectors by the PUC. The Company also asked that the increase in its operations and other costs should be taken into consideration and cited the decline in revenues from its international services which it stated is insufficient to support the company’s “below cost-rate for level for domestic services”.
The Company also attributed its dying international call services that continue to operate without legitimate licenses including internet cafes as a reason for the decline in its revenue.