Letters to the Editor
More concerns about Cable &Wireless
Dear Sir:
What a sad day it is in Cayman when C&W can decide what web sites a paying Internet user can access.I read your article on the shut down of the Net2Phone connectionthat was available to Internet users here in Cayman and foundit quite frightening. I immediately tried to visit the web sitefor the makers of the Net2Phone device at www.yapgear.com andfound that too was not accessible.
I would like to ask C&W what times are they living in andwhat are their plans to deal with the new age of technology? Isthis how they plan in the future to deal with competition?
Isn't competition inevitable or are they expecting the peopleof the Cayman Islands to allow them to continue this monopolyforever? Admittedly, for years we have relied on C&W to providetelephone services to these Islands and we have been tremendouslygrateful, but can we be expected to not embrace newer technologiesthat offer us an alternative?When the decision was made by C&Wto make the world wide web available to Cayman I am sure theywere aware of the many sites that would be accessible by the users.Some of those sites will in the long run cause much more damageto our society than cheaper phone calls ever will do.
We now have pornography readily available to any viewer who sodesires (even our children) and with no concern on the part ofC&W as to how to block any of these. There is also the PsychicAdvisers who many of our users are racking up high bills on therecredit cards with and then there are the many solicitations formoney with attractive schemes to defraud our people. What positionC&W has taken on any of these? None, absolutely none becausethey are losing no money as a result of these sites. Today I hada conversation with an employee of C&W Net Help Desk and askedwhat was going on with the Net2Phone block and he was quick totell me proudly that yes, C&W blocked the use of this device.He further stated that the reason was because of the advertisementthat was placed in Friday's Caymanian Compass by Sounds and Things.He explained that C&W had prior knowledge that there wereusers of this devices in Cayman but when S&T advertised 3000minutes to the U.S. for $30 then C&W had to do this.
WOW!!! That was my response. They knew the device was being usedprior to the ad and did nothing about it but at the first signof competition, what was earlier no treat to them, became a majorconcern. Are the people of the Cayman Islands paying attention?The message is clear. Do not oppose this giant or you will betrampled.Users of the Net2Phone device are breaking no laws inthe Cayman Islands as it is a known fact that this device is onlytransmitting data. In this year of elections can we hear fromour candidates how they plan to prevent the continuation of suchactions by C&W and other such monopolists?
S. Haye