Liberty Caribbean wants telecoms networks to earn clients’ trust

 WESTERN BUREAU:

Charles Douglas, the senior manager of government and regulatory affairs at Liberty Caribbean, says that telecommunications networks must uphold reliable reputations to maintain the trust of their clients, especially as it relates to theft, vandalism, and disruptions caused by natural disasters.

Speaking at the just-concluded Organisation of Caribbean Utility Regulators’ (OOCUR) 20th conference, in Trelawny, Douglas said a telecommunication network’s success relies on the confidence its customers have in its service provision and its ability to bounce back in times of crisis.

“Trust is important, because we have to trust that when the phone rings, the caller is who they claim to be. We have to trust that the network is pure, and we have to trust that regulators and operators are acting in the public interest,” said Douglas. “Part of having a trusted network is being able to rely on it when you want to use it, and it needs to be there for you, it needs to work.

“Having invested billions of dollars in networks across the region to serve the populace and to make a fair return, it matters hugely to us that the network remains trusted and can be relied on, and we are investing all our efforts to achieve that,” continued Douglas. “Are we perfect? Absolutely not, but we want you to understand that our 150-year legacy in the region is built on trust, reliability and partnership.”

Speaking specifically to network disruptions, Douglas outlined several measures that Liberty Caribbean has taken to ensure that infrastructure vandalism and the impact of natural disasters like Hurricane Melissa, which ravaged western Jamaica last October, do not severely cripple its networks.

“Theft and vandalism are significant, because they disrupt the network and undermine reliability and public safety,” he said.

“We have community partnerships to help people see the importance of the network, so that it is not vandalised, and of course, we collaborate with the police in driving responses and investigations; and sometimes we have private security firms that assist us as well; and we harden the network with the tamper-proof enclosures and tracking devices.”

As it relates to the need to strengthen the integrity of cell towers, based on how they were impacted during the passage of Hurricane Melissa, when many had wires dangling, Douglas said they are working closely with related entities to address that situation.

“We do cooperate with municipalities, local authorities, and local government to ensure we meet the standards for building or granting of permits in order to protect the integrity of these networks, so that they can withstand a Category 4 storm. And now we know what a Category 5 storm is like, we can make improvements there,” he said.

Jamaica’s telecommunications services, to include mobile providers FLOW and Digicel, were adversely impacted by Hurricane Melissa. Both providers have since reported approximately 90 per cent restoration for their fixed facilities, including home telephone service.

The two providers have also been affected by several incidents of vandalism over the years, including incidents of cables being stolen or damaged. In December 2025, FLOW and Digicel called for legislators to enact stiffer penalties for individuals who vandalise and steal their equipment.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com

A3third- Charles Douglas (left), the senior manager of government and regulatory affairs at telecommunications and technology provider Liberty Caribbean, formerly C&W Communications, addresses the Organisation of Caribbean