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IT&E: There’s no monopoly
Despite IT&E currently being the sole Internet provider to the CNMI for years now, the telecommunications company says it is not running a monopoly on the islands.
According to PTI chief executive officer James Oehlerking, “there’s no monopoly.”
Guam-based PTI is the parent company of IT&E.
“There were numerous talks and we responded to ‘IT&E’s monopoly.’ We don’t have a monopoly. Anybody can come in here and compete,” he added.
Oehlerking added that investors eyeing the CNMI can in come anytime.
“It’s a question of them wanting to make an investment and participate in the market like IT&E has for 35 years. There’s nothing new up here. If they’re interested they can come here anytime,” Oehlerking said in a recent interview.
He also pointed out that they are providing service to other telecoms in the CNMI such as iConnect and Docomo.
When asked if it’s possible for the CNMI to have multiple fiber optic cable connections like Guam, Oehlerking said it’s not easy.
“Guam is much more of a through-point in the middle of the Pacific so there are multiple cables that pass through Guam,” Oehlerking said. “Guam over the years has been set up as a through point. It’s not easy to change routes or just say let’s go through Saipan en route to say, Taiwan or China.”
Last Friday, the same question was raised at a presentation by Dan Tydingco, executive vice president for external and legal affairs of GTA, for CNMI lawmakers on Capital Hill.
Tydingco described the CNMI’s connection as “single-threaded.” He said it may be for the lawmakers and the CNMI government to determine if the Commonwealth needs another system.
After the CNMI-wide network outage more than a week ago, Internet capacity is still not at 100 percent as connections are relying on backup systems until the fiber optic cable will be repaired once the repair ship arrives this week.
Oehlerking said they will take another look at their entire system once the repairs are done.
“After we’re done with all this, both on the fiber and other alternatives, we’re going to relook at our whole communication structure [on] Saipan and back to Guam and see what changes could be made to improve it,” Oehlerking said.
