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COVID-19

A Regulator’s Response

T he mission-critical value of our technological Immediate discussions were held with our

resources was brought into sharp focus with
concessionaires of mobile services – TSTT and Digicel
the COVID-19 pandemic.
– to ensure improved and more resilient connectivity for
citizens over the initial months, as the country began to
grapple with containing the spread of the COVID-19
Individuals, communities, institutions, companies and virus.
the economy were suddenly hit with a need for business
continuity and remote access. In some places, whilst TATT assigned more spectrum to the mobile operators,
technology was adopted, with all of the bells and at no additional cost, for the first two months, with an
whistles, the full capabilities were just not in use. agreement to consider an extension if necessary.

For telecommunications regulators, the challenge of That move was to facilitate the expected increase in
connectivity, and more so, maintaining connectivity, traffic which, based on mobile operators’ network
became critical as governments, institutions and monitoring, has already begun with the increased number
individuals began urgently seeking digital strategies of people now working from home. It also ensured that
that can help mitigate the catastrophic socio-economic mobile consumers have connectivity to reach relatives,
effects of COVID-19. friends and essential services during the peak period, as
the government and health care providers put measures
The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and in place to flatten the COVID-19 curve.
Tobago (TATT) when faced with these challenges, as a
regulator, immediately sought solutions that were low Additionally, TATT held virtual consultations with all its
hanging fruit that could be immediately leveraged. telecommunications service providers to ensure that the
service provision in both urban and rural communities
Broadband availability, affordability, accessibility and was configured to deal with increased traffic and that
quality of service took priority, as we strove to deliver connectivity would be maintained across the twin-island
on our mandate to protect the interest of consumers. nation.

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