PHILIPSBURG:--- Bureau Telecommunications and Post St. Maarten (BTP) worked diligently together with the Regulatory Authority of St. Kitts (NTCR) to resolve interference issues, and can confirm that the mobile spectrum in St. Maarten is now free of the unwanted signals originated from St. Kitts, within the UMTS spectrum bands.
Mobile Operator TelCell filed a complaint at St. Maarten’s Telecom Regulator in December last year concerning unwanted signals that were affecting their Mobile Network. BTP that is tasked with the management of Spectrum matters in St. Maarten took immediate action by working together with different countries, including St. Kitts, to resolve matters. Extensive measurements were performed over the past months and results have indicated that there were signal levels originating from mobile cell sites in St. Kitts that where causing interference in St. Maarten. The regulators were able to identify the mobile cell-sites, and mobile operators were requested to make the necessary adjustments to their antennas.
While proper regulatory steps were taken between the two islands, BTP also issued two new frequency channels to Telcell, to aid them in improving their service level. During a meeting that recently took place between regulator and operator, the Chief Technical Officer of Tellcell confirmed that the assignment of the two new frequencies channels in the UMTS band would help them to reach higher service levels, and he’s expecting to see improvements on their network within two weeks.
Director of BTP, Mr. Anthony Carty stated: “It is of great importance that consumers on our island can benefit from most reliable and good quality communication services. We therefore took all regulatory measures to enable the Operator to provide good quality service to its end-users. BTP will closely monitor further developments, and is expecting a more detailed plan from Telcell on their future network adjustment”.
Bureau Telecommunications and Post thanked the regulator of St. Kitts for their unwavering assistance with regards to this matter; “It only speaks volumes about our relationship as two autonomous entities in two different countries can work for the greater good, and not only for each individual needs”.
