C&WJ executives, president Rodney Davis (left) and COO Jim Pitchford, at a poolside function at Terra Nova last November. - File

Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited (C&WJ) retreated, but only temporarily, from plans to fully lock down its TDMA network on Thursday, saying it will retain two cell sites to service the Pedro Cays, an offshore community largely populated by fishers.

At the same time, C&WJ says it will press ahead with plans to erect 150 new cell sites under plans announced in January to expand its GSM service and grow its subscriber base which now stands at about 600,000.

The company yesterday said it was unable to say immediately what it would cost to keep the TDMA system operational, but told Wednesday Business the cell sites would serve no more than 200-300 fishers on the Cay.

Global developments

The telecommunications company is switching fully to a GSM network, and had been running promotions announcing the lockdown of the TDMA system which serves only 10,000 clients.

Apart from the better quality of service offered by GSM, the telecoms company's switch would have been pushed by global developments.

"C&WJ has not sold a TDMA handset in at least three years," said chief operating officer Jim Pitchford. "And given the lack of manufacturer support available, if a TDMA handset malfunctions, none of our dealers is able to service or repair it."

C&WJ has been servicing its markets via the two networks since 2003, but over the two years, has been managing the switch to GSM service offered under its bmobile brand. The phone credit it sells to prepaid customers - bfree and classic for TDMA users - are also dedicated to each network.

The company was evasive on how it would continue delivering credit to the fishers, but WednesdayBusiness understands that it will sell talk time at the Cays, possibly through a third party.

Said C&WJ president Rodney Davis in a company statement yesterday: "If we were to discontinue service to Pedro Cays, the residents there would have no way of communicating back to the mainland for business or personal reasons. And especially in cases of emergencies, they would be at serious risk."

Aggressive expansion

Davis suggested, however, that the TDMA sites would remain operational only until it locks into a solution. That investigation is under way.

C&WJ is investing $5 billion in its self-described "aggressive expansion programme". Alongside the 150 new cell sites to be built under that plan, it will do overlays on 200 of the existing sites "to provide improved coverage, increased capacity and better in-building reception," said the company statement.

business@gleanerjm.com.