PRESS RELEASE – THE Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) wishes to reiterate to the citizens of the ECTEL Member States our firm commitment to maintain an open Internet — no blocking or throttling of online content, applications and services.
Notwithstanding the decision of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States of America to repeal its net neutrality rules on December 14, 2017, many countries, including those of the European Union, maintain strong net neutrality rules aimed at protecting consumers’ freedom to access all websites without additional charges, thereby fostering greater use of the Internet.
Whilst ECTEL and the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commissions (NTRCs) maintain cordial relations with the FCC, we assert our independence to implement policies and regulations that are suited to the needs of our region, taking into consideration international best practice.
ECTEL and the NTRCs have undertaken a number of initiatives to promote open broadband access to the Internet, and improve the quality of service offered to customers. These include the development of a suite of regulations relating to consumer protection to be passed upon promulgation of the EC Bill, and educational activities alerting customers about their rights and how to address substandard service from their providers.
Customers who are experiencing any degradation of their broadband Internet service are reminded to firstly register their complaint with their service providers. If, after thirty days of filing the complaint, the issue is not resolved, the customer may file an application with the NTRC for assistance in resolving the complaint.