RAB wants your views on unlocking cell phones

The Regulatory Authority of Bermuda, created to regulate Bermuda’s telecommunications industry, is asking for the public’s help with two projects – email mobility and cell phone unlocking.

It has published on its webpage, www.rab.bm, consultation documents asking any member of the public who has an interest to submit his or her views on each of these proposals, by September 30th.

In the case of cell phone locking, it has posed three questions to which it invites answers.

They are:

Do you view locking of cell phones as a hindrance to competition?

Do you view locking of cell phones as an obstacle to mobile number portability?

Do you agree with the RA’s proposed decision? (This is essentially to allow a cell phone bought from one of the cell phone companies at a subsidized price to be unlocked after 30 days of service, and to allow a cell phone bought at an unsubsidised price to be unlocked at any time.)

In the case of email mobility, the Authority invites comment on its proposal to oblige internet service providers to forward mail from a customer’s old email address to the new for six months without charge when the customer switches providers.  The RA proposes to oblige ISPs to extend that service, for a fee, indefinitely.

It proposes to oblige ISPs to issue an automated notification message informing emailers of the address change, including details of the new address.  And it proposes to oblige ISPs to retain the customer’s old address, unused, for a period of one year following a migration. 

Philip Micallef, CEO of the Regulatory Authority says the organisation will value every submission. 

“We are very interested in people’s views, and do not want to impose the way we think on Bermuda if Bermuda sees things a different way.

“People can write in to me at the Authority by email, or through the Post Office.  The consultation documents are available free of charge on our website, as are address details.”