THE Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company (GT&T) does not spare any resources in rolling out resources for the erection and installation of infrastructure and facilities for the development of the local telecommunications sector.

Chief Financial Officer, Sonita Jagan made the declaration last Thursday during a media brunch and press conference at Cara Lodge, in Quamina Street, Georgetown.
She maintained that, in advancing the sector, there is the aspect of security and safeguarding of equipment and infrastructure used for the provision of services.
Ms. Jagan disclosed that, over the years, the company has been losing tremendously at the hands of vandals who would severe cables to access the copper inside, which are often used or sold to keep the scrap metal trade going.
She said GT&T will be moving to ensure that the highest learning institution in the country receives the lowest rates for Internet access. As such, the utility will be introducing a WI-FI service at the University of Guyana (UG) Turkeyen Campus.
The WI-FI service will be made available on the entire campus and the hope is for it to also impact the borders of the compound which would see persons at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and surrounding areas also benefitting from it, Jagan said.
She said it is expected to be in time for the new semester somewhere around January 28.

Subsidise it
The WI-FI service will be available at an approximation of $100 but the price is still being worked out by the company that will subsidise it.
According to Jagan, that would see students being able to have affordable Internet access and high speed upload and download within the first quarter of the year.
She said the company has been working on the idea for some time now but was unable to implement it due to the unavailability of enough spectrums.
However, rather than waiting in vain for the spectrums to be available, the company had to make other arrangements to have the development of the sector continue without further delays.
While the service is being implemented, initially, at UG, the next facility the company will be targeting is the Guyana National Stadium, at Providence, East Bank Demerara, followed by the UG Tain Campus, Corentyne, Berbice.
Jagan said the overall aim of the initiative is to make Internet accessible in areas where people congregate.
At the moment, GT&T is paying a contractor who is in the process of surveying some areas ahead of the rolling out of the service in other areas targeted for the Internet access.
Jagan said one of the critical aspects of rolling out this and other new and updated services is a reliable supply of electricity and, presently, Guyana Power & Light (GPL) and GT&T are collaborating in that regard.
There is also a plan to have the service in the Stabroek Market area but, once again, the issue of security and protection of the infrastructure have to be considered, she noted.

Some adjustments
She announced that, like years gone by, GT&T will be participating in the 2013 Mashramani Celebrations, but with some adjustments to the level of sponsorship.
GT&T will sponsor the entire children’s aspect of the celebration, including the schools’ competitions and the float parades.
She said, this year, the company wants to focus more on events and sponsorships that will benefit the nation in the long and short term.
At present, the company is sponsoring the Internet Laboratory at UG and that partnership has been ongoing for some years now.