– Landline services could be phased out entirely
– Vandalism still a costly problem

LOCAL telecommunications company, GTT, will be seeking to expand its services, particularly in favour of more online services over the coming months.

“In 2019, [GTT] is focussed on self-service… People no longer have to come into stores to come in and queue up and pay for services,” GTT Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Justin Nedd, said at a Press Conference on Tuesday.

According to him, the company began focussing on providing greater online services to its customers in 2018. He highlighted that the company recorded an 85 pe rcent satisfaction with its online services in 2018.

The ‘My GTT’ and Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) applications are online solutions that were tapped to promote GTT’s drive to foster these online services, and Nedd noted that these are “tools to empower persons”.

“We want to build on that,” he affirmed and highlighted that the service provider will be having an improved website and will “push” for more services to be done without the use of paper.

He also shared that the company will be implementing additional online systems to “build stronger bonds” with its customers.

Aside from expanding online services, Nedd shared that the company’s high-speed Internet service, Blaze, was also set for expansion across Guyana.

Blaze, which was launched in 2017, uses fibre-optic cable connections and has been touted as the fastest internet service available in Guyana. More than 60,000 households and businesses were capable of accessing Blaze.

The CEO highlighted: “We’ve seen an overwhelming demand for Blaze, [which has] resulted in longer than usual waiting times.”

And using the high-speed fibre-optic cable system, Nedd indicated that there was the ability to offer a myriad of other services through the medium. In addition, GTT, in the coming months, according to Nedd, will introduce another service– a television system, in partnership with an unnamed third party, that will offer over 100 cable channels.

REDUCED LANDLINE USE
While the CEO addressed the company’s offering of enhanced online and connectivity services, he disclosed that the company had seen a reduction in the use of landline services.

The CEO pointed out that more than 99 per cent of the company’s landline services were in good working order and there were less reports in the area of faults.

Despite this, he highlighted: “What might come as a surprise to many of you is that people are actually giving up their landline services.”

GTT is currently Guyana’s sole landline service provider. But the CEO alluded to the fact that landlines currently used, i.e. the copper-wire connections, could be phased out entirely in favour of the fibre optic connections.

He explained that, with the Blaze fibre-optic connection, a voice service feature was also offered. Over the past year, the CEO estimated that about 20,000 voice services were rolled out.

“We continue to build the fibre-optic network because we ultimately see it as the future and we need to continue to improve and build on the services that we give to our customers,” he said. “It is a matter of progression in time.”

VANDALISM
Though the company has been floating the merits of this fibre-optic cable system, Nedd also reminded that vandalism continued to plague the company.

He related that, as recent as on Republic ‘Mash’ Day, someone vandalised the cable, forcing a technical crew to rush to address repairs. According to information provided, the incident alone caused in excess of USD10,000 for the labour costs for repairs

“I’m really, really disappointed that rogue elements think that it’s a smart thing to do,” Nedd related, while adding that it was his wish that there would be stronger sanctions against persons who engage in the destructive action. He said that vandalising the cable was actually “tampering with national security”.