The Gloves Are Off! Digicel, LIME & the FTC Fight!

Digicel may currently be the heavyweight champions of the Jamaican telecommunications market, but it is clear they will have to fight even harder to maintain their title now that LIME has partnered with the FTC to sue the company.

by hunterseakerhk

The Fair Trading Commission (FTC) is hoping to have the Jamaican courts reverse the terms of the Digcel-Claro merger.

 “We are seeking a declaration from the Supreme Court that the underlying agreement between Digicel and Claro would have, or is likely to have, the effect of lessening competition substantially in the telecommunications market, and that the agreement is, therefore, unenforceable under Section 17 of the Fair Competition Act, 1993,” said FTC lawyer Dr Delroy Beckford.

LIME, who claims the merger is bad for the local telecommunications market, has now joined the FTC’s claim. Double team.

We fully support the FTC as we have always believed that the merger is detrimental to competition in the telecoms market and has the potential to reverse much of the gains of liberalisation,” said LIME Jamaica’s managing director, Garry Sinclair.

Digicel’s retort is that:

1. The FTC needs to mind its own business (as the matter is outside its jurisdiction), but they
2. The  FTC is late – having turned to the courts after the matter ended, and
3. The FTC is super LAZY because they knew all the details since March.