~ Standardising TV, broadcasting industries ~
PHILIPSBURG--The Bureau of Telecommunications and Post St. Maarten BTPSXM will be clamping down on unregulated and unlicensed providers in the telecommunications and broadcasting industries, to level the playing field and standardise the industry.
Director Peggy-Ann Brandon said BTPSXM was developing and would present to Telecommunications Minister Franklin Meyers quality-of-service standards with which all participants in the telecommunications and broadcasting industries must comply.
The standards also will cover the segment that provides television services in St. Maarten, irrespective of the means/technology used.
"Much attention is needed in this segment of the industry, to ensure customer satisfaction and affordable access for all to such services," she said. "The current imbalance in this segment of the industry needs to be addressed, as the television provisioning through satellites directly competes with the television provisioning by licence holders in St. Maarten.
"The licence holders in St. Maarten are obligated to pay annual licence fees for their right to offer services in St. Maarten and have to comply with conditions of their licence that stipulate that they must be in possession of an agreement for each channel offered in St. Maarten."
She said United States regulations had resulted in licence holders not being permitted to offer certain channels. "Any channel offered without an agreement and payment of royalties will result in huge damage claims, for which the country can be held responsible.
"Satellite providers who sell the hardware (satellite dishes and boxes) do not fall under any regulation, whilst a licence is required for anyone or entity that provides content/programming in St. Maarten.
"The BTPSXM shall therefore focus on addressing the problems faced by the licence holders in St. Maarten and formulate recommendations to the Minister on how to address these problems. The aim is to ensure that the product offered by the licence holders meets the quality-of-service standards and is accessible to all in St. Maarten.
"Having excellent television provisioning in St. Maarten will benefit the people of St. Maarten and will support the further economic growth of the country," she said.
BTPSXM is tasked with regulating the telecommunications and post industries in St. Maarten, and supporting and advising the Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications on matters and policies relating to these industries.
