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GTA a step closer to entering the CNMI telecom market
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Posted on Feb 08 2012
GTA TeleGuam announced yesterday that it is one step closer to obtaining a certificate of authority to expand its business to the Commonwealth.
However, the approval of this certificate lies with the Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission, which is currently dormant due to a lack of commissioners. The commission officially stopped business beginning Jan. 30.
In its last meeting on Jan. 28, commission chair Viola Alepuyo issued two separate orders related to GTA issues.
In the first order, Alepuyo indicated that upon the re-establishment of a quorum, the commission’s hearing officer is directed to proceed with the phase two activities set forth in Section 1 of the Certificate Order, including consideration and ruling on IT&E’s request to either intervene or participate in these phase two activities. The commission indicated that these phase two proceedings are not intended to either qualify or diminish GTA’s certificate.
In the second order, it ruled that GTA’s request to negotiate a comprehensive interconnection agreement with IT&E constitutes a bona fide request under federal law and, upon re-establishment of quorum, it directed the hearing examiner to proceed with the “inquiry” to determine whether IT&E’s rural exemption will be terminated or not.
According to Daniel Tydingco, executive vice president of regulatory, external and legal affairs at GTA, the approval of the application would allow GTA to become a local exchange carrier on Saipan, Tinian and Rota.
“We’ve been working extremely hard to ensure our application is processed legally, properly and in accordance with procedures. While we await the final approval of our application by the CPUC, our goal is clear that we intend to bring competitive services, products and prices to our neighbors in the north and for the benefit of all our customers,” he said in a statement.
The company first submitted its application in March 2011.
