ICTA clears the air on licences and interference

Managing Director of the Information & Communications Technology Authority, David Archbold	Managing Director of Vibe FM and Spin FM, Kenny Rankin

Wednesday,  January 25, 2006

ALL radio stations in Grand Cayman are complying with their licences in spite of two of them creating interference for others, said an official of the Information & Communications Technology Authority (ICTA). 

Managing Director of Vibe FM and Spin FM, Kenny Rankin, said some of the 14 radio stations here had shrugged off their commitment to broadcast to the Sister Islands.

“Only Vibe and Radio Cayman are complying. We’re covering 110 percent of the Cayman Islands. 

“Why are we going to Little Cayman and Cayman Brac? It’s going to cost us thousands of dollars, but you will only receive hundreds of dollars.

“It doesn’t make business sense but it’s a community service you’re providing. That’s why they give you the licence,” he said.

“My question to the ICTA and the rest of the radio stations is when are they going to start complying with the rules and regulations? ” asked Mr Rankin.

Managing Director of the ICTA, David Archbold, said some of the stations only have licences to operate in Grand Cayman. 

“It’s not necessary to broadcast to all three Islands it depends on the particular licence and the particular company. 

“They apply for certain services and they give a date by which they commit to providing those services. 

“When they were re-licensed by us when we took over (2004), they were licensed on the same terms and conditions they had when Government licensed them,” he said. 

Mr Rankin said his both stations have always complied with the ICTA rules and guidelines while others have not. 

“We were mandated to move out of town and we have done that. We have improved our signals at Newlands. We have bought additional equipment, and we’re filtering,” he said.

He is concerned that no one seems to be policing the broadcast sector because some offenders are going scot-free he said.

“If you have the restrictions, you have the guidelines, then who are enforcing them,” he inquired. 

The MD for Vibe FM and Spin FM is not fearful of the competition, saying that it is good for the market: “I’m all for competition, I’m all for free enterprise.”

But he thinks the infrastructure is lacking in the Cayman Islands and that has led to many problems. 

“When you approve applications you have to make sure the infrastructure is there and the infrastructure isn’t there. That’s why you find the problem that’s there now,” he said.

The head of the ICTA said there are interference problems with two radio companies and it is working to resolve the problem with the help of Government.

“We have been working for some time with both Government and one of the radio stations to resolve a long-term problem. 

“Two radio stations were guilty of interference, one with low antenna and quite high power, and the other, their signal was dirty so they were physically transmitting interference,” he said. 

Mr Archbold said the problem is not unique to this country and could be remedied by placing all the stations in one tower.

“It’s a universal problem. An ideal way of dealing with it is to get a single tower and every radio company broadcast from that same tower,” he said. 

“Wherever you have radio transmitters there is a chance, particularly around the transmitter area, you’re going to get some form of blanketing,” he added. 

Mr Archbold said the ICTA is not responsible for content on the stations but that responsibility falls to the Ministry of Communications. 

“Content, we’re not responsible for, as things stand at the moment. The ministry is responsible for that. There are provisions for Government to make rules and regulations about content,” he said. 

He explained the procedure that should be taken by anyone who has a complaint about a radio, TV or telephone company: 

“The first step is to complain to the licencee, he has the right to try and correct the problem. 

“If you don’t like the answer of you don’t get an answer at all, then you can complain to the authority.” 

paul@caymannetnews.com

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