-disrupting service to 500 customers
THE Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) company said its facilities at South Ruimveldt and Houston have been vandalised within 48 hours resulting in some 500 customers being without service. “GT&T is extremely concerned about the increase in the cases of vandalism to its infrastructure,” the company said in a release.
It added: “GTT technicians, responding to reports of lost service in the Cane View Avenue and Greenheart Street areas and at Houston near to the old CRL Compound, discovered approximately 40 metres of cable missing.”
“The cuts were identified, and the cables replaced to ensure service restoration.”
“One day later on July 22, vandals again targeted the Company’s infrastructure in the vicinity of the old South Ruimveldt Shopping Plaza removing close to 1.5 metres of cable.”
The company lamented that the continuation of these acts, contributes negatively to the company’s ability to deliver uninterrupted service to several hundred customers in the areas where they have been committed.
GT&T noted that in all cases, staff, who were scheduled to perform routine remedial works in several areas, including attending to problems with service to customers who have been waiting long periods, have had to be re-deployed to work on these emergencies.
It further stated that it considers recent events a worrying trend, especially in light of the Company’s current drive to roll out its new Emagine high speed broadband DSL, following the operationalising of the new Suriname Guyana Cable System intended to open a range of new possibilities and experiences for internet users.
“The Company has, in the past, continually urged citizens in all areas where communication equipment has been deployed for their use, to be vigilant in the face of these acts by persons bent on causing them inconvenience.”
“The need for vigilance is even greater at this time when many customers are demanding GTT’S lightning speed data connections in their homes and offices,” the company said.
However, it assured that it will also continue to work with the security forces to bring an end to these acts of vandalism and sabotage.