General Manager Michelle English's comments indicate that Flow's opera-tion does not fall in the categories that command the highest broadcast licence fees, which deal with 'wireless systems'.

The Broadcasting Commission, meantime, said it has sought expert advice on the matter.

The commission quotes three fees ranging from $50,000 to half a million dollars for applicants for subscriber tele-vision or cable licences, as defined under Section 5 of the Television and Sound Broadcasting Regulations.

Flow's network is a wired system, which attracts the lowest fee, but its all-island designation appears to be the sticking point.

The regulator could not offer a definitive response on the fee structure for a company like Flow - which has stirred up the local STV market by seeking licences in more than two zones - saying only that the licence fee regime for electronic media was under review.

"The Commission is currently looking at that.  The matter is not yet settled," said information officer Jacqueline Jackson.

"It requires a scientific approach on how to do that, and the Commission has sought assistance from a company which it uses for its financial evaluation."

English told the Financial Gleaner that Flow had no formal advisory from the commission on the fee charge.  She reiterated the comment when pressed on what verbal communication the parties might have had.

"We haven't received anything in writing from the Broadcasting Commission," English responded.  "There has been nothing formally presented to us in terms of what our fee structure is for the national licence, so I can't comment on that."

According to postings on the commission's website, Flow's all-island application, made under its former name Merit, has been reviewed and sent on to the Minister of Information for approval.

Cabinet endorsement generally follows.

Normally, the executive branch acts on the recommendation of the regulator, and Flow's principals have already signaled that they have the Commission's approval.

English affirmed that the fee payment would be the final stage of acquiring the licences Columbus Communications need to operate all island under its name.

"Most of the licences would have been listed so the fees would be the last aspect of it," she said.

The Broadcasting Commission did not offer a timetable for the completion of the review.

English subtly reminded the Financial Gleaner that Flow was not considered a wireless network, but could not refute that, in seeking an all-island licence, her company could be designated a multi-channel multi-point distribution system.

Flow launched its operations here last year with an announcement that it was seeking to acquire existing, but smaller cable operators, alongside the network it would be building out, first in Kingston, and then outside the capital.

The GM said the company had expectations, it had set no definite date for the process to be completed.

The company's delivery of service is on track, English said.

Cable licence fees

$50,000 wired system

$250,000 wireless local multipoint distribution system

$500,000 wireless multi-channel multi-point distribution system

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