Daily Black Immigrant News
Operator Free Caraïbe was fined €300,000 by Arcep for failing to meet its deployment obligations in Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin.
In a decision dated September 26, Arcep (Regulatory Authority for electronic communications, mail and press distribution) sentenced the company Free Caraïbe with a financial penalty of 300,000 euros.
As a reminder, in 2017, Arcep allocated frequencies to the Free Caraïbe company in Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin.
Commitments have not been kept
According to Arcep, Free Caraïbe was required as of November 22, 2018 to provide high-speed telephone service and mobile access to: 50% of Guadeloupe’s population; 30% of Guyana’s population; 50% of Martinique’s population; 75% of the population of Saint-Barthélemy and 75% of the population of Saint-Martin.
In December 2020, Arcep’s dispute resolution, prosecution and investigation panel found that Free Caraïbe had breached its settlement obligations, and thus put it on notice to comply with them no later than 31 December 2021.
Free Caribbean Answers
The mobile operator defended itself by pointing out that “the territories of Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy suffered for decades from high mobile tariffs for lack of sufficient competition”.
Adding that “on May 17, 2022, Free Caraïbe revolutionized the market in these French overseas territories by marketing a non-binding package 6 times cheaper than pre-existing offers.”
Finally: “Arcep sanctioned Free Caraïbe for deployment delays, without considering the extreme difficulties of deployment and the impact of the health crisis. As the popular saying goes: “Ingratitude is the daughter of kindness.”
NewsAmericasNow.com
