CEO and president of C&WJ, Rodney Davis, pledged last week that the company would refocus on its landline operations, along with the expansion into broadband services and the existing thrust in cellular phone communications.  The company has limited direct competition for its traditional landline service.

The Montego Bay region is being targeted for this expansion, Mr. Garricks said.  "We're building out there now and we intend to complete that infrastructure build-out by the end of November."

LANDLINE SUPPLY LOW

According to Mr. Garricks, "we've got roughly about 20,000 lines that we need to pass within the next three years."

Critics point out that with a population of 2.5 million persons, Jamaica's teledensity of less than 500,000 landlines is extremely low.  The company has an additional 100,000 customers on its waiting list, but has been faced with customes switching from landlines to cellular phone service.

In the past, the telecoms provider has been accused of neglecting its fixed line customers.  "We're seeing switches from fixed to mobile as we battle to hold our own in mobiles,"Mr.  Davis said in a previous interview with this newspaper.

C&WJ needed to focus on its landline network, which still provides an affordable option for personal and communication needs, Mr. Davis said.

Mr. Garricks was speaking at Wednesday's press conference at which C&WJ announced its single national rate for fixed line to fixed line costs.  Come October 1, customers will pay less for their landline service, with rates falling to between 60 and 90 cents per minute during off peak and peak periods respectively.

Elaborating, the C&WJ executive said, "We've looked at Portobello, we've looked at Bogue.  We've looked at Tryall.  That's roughly about six thousand lines we've planned."

The expansion in Montego Bay is part of C&WJ's renewed focus on its fixed line customers - in fact that segment contributes about 60 per cent to C&WJ's gross revenues.

Said Mr. Garricks, "The fixed line is fundamental to our success ... it is our intention to build out infrastructure where we can.  We need to do it as pragmatically as possible and systematically.  So we're going to Montego Bay, we've identified the areas - I don't want to announce them just yet, because anything can change - but we know where we're going in 06/07 as well and also this year and then also 08/09."

NEWER TECHNOLOGY

Mr. Garricks told the Financial Gleaner that landline segment "is a priority.  It never was a priority ... we haven't touched it for three years.  Since I have been here (one year) I see the value you get from (fixed lines) from our data.  For example the high speed Internet opens a slew of products and services through voice over IP, home surveillance, access to information as well as local calling across the island at the standard rate."

But while the landline segment is "absolutely part of C&WJ's plan", Mr. Garricks emphasised that the company "needs to offer simplicity and with that comes accessibility and it is part of our plans this year and to build out new infrastructure.  That's why we are going to Montego Bay."

He said, "We're also looking at newer technology in how we can speed up the process in how we deliver our fixed line wireless, for example."

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