– company says service is convenient, free and consumers have other options

THE Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT)’s online payment and billing services, which include the My GTT app and Mobile Money Guyana (MMG), were at the centre of discussions during a hearing of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Thursday.
Political Commentator, Ramon Gaskin prompted the hearing, after filing a complaint against GTT to the PUC. Gaskin complained that the company has moved away from regular paper bills to issuing electronic bills. The complaint also stated that the electronic telephone bill does not reflect an itemised list of cellular calls and overseas calls which would have been itemised in previous bills and afforded consumers the ability to check and verify their activities for the preceding month.

“GTT is forcing me to take a service that I don’t need… that is the whole purpose of this thing, to force me to do what I don’t want to do… I went to the store and they kept me in a line for 45 minutes as a senior citizen and the supervisor told me that they have Mobile money and all this nonsense…I want my original bill the way I used to get it,” Gaskin contended during the hearing of the PUC.

Gaskin argued that GTT’s agreement and licence do not allow them to unanimously shift from regular paper billing to online billing, but that was challenged by the company’s Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, Mark Reynolds who said Gaskin’s position on the agreement and licence is not true. Reynolds said the agreement between the Government and GTT is confidential, but it speaks to the billing system which is to be used and the nature of the system.

The director also said that, in keeping with an order from the PUC, the bill which is issued contains the types of calls made, including international calls. This point was supported by GTT’s Vice President of Customer Experience, Orson Ferguson, who said the summary of everything, is on the bill, but the only things missing are the call details.

“You can get everything on the bill… you don’t have to solely use the online billing system, no other option is closed to you…the only thing we do not do is put a bill in the post, but all other options are available to you,” said Ferguson.

He, however, adjusted his statement, noting that customers who are registered to the My GTT will not get their bill in the post, but customers who have not registered will get the normal paper bill. GTT representatives also contended that persons who are registered to My GTT can visit any retail store and get a paper bill.
“We have given customers multiple payment options which are convenient and free…A customer can always pick up the landline service, call 0488 and be guided through their bill,” said Ferguson.

He reiterated that the online services are convenient and customers do not pay to use the My GTT app, it is free of cost. Ferguson said GTT is not receiving added benefits from the payment of bills. GTT, however, admitted that there have been human errors which they intend on reducing. Despite defending their service, representatives of GTT apologised to Gaskin.

Ferguson had said that the company introduced its e-billing by means of the My GTT in support of the country’s green initiative and in keeping with the technological growth and direction of the company. Since the establishment of the online billing system, the company has recorded a 30 per cent decline in the number of customers being disconnected for non-payment.