Received this email with MS Word attachments about an hour ago…
Attached are the Voice Over Internet Protocal (VoIP) Regulatory Policy and Framework Guidelines issued by the Public Utililties Commission today Friday, June 23rd 2006.
Attachments:
Belize Free Internet Consortium
Liberating Internet Content Since 2006
Belize Flag
Recent Comments
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Skype Journal- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
Belize Free Internet Consortium 
I have been unsble to use Skype since the PUC announcement. Sometimes I cannot log on and even when on line cannot connect with any of my contacts. I have received one Skype text message today but was unable to reply to it.
I have also not been able to use Skype or Gizmo since the PUC guidlines were released. Typical arrogance of BTL to block these services contrary to the PUC directives. THE PUC MUST SHOW SOME SPINE AND PUT BTL IN THEIR PLACE!!
I have sent the following letter to PUC and BTL. I encourage everyone to do the same. We can not roll over and let BTL trample on our rights as cosumers.
Dear Public Utilities Commission of Belize,
I find it a coincidence of unbelievable proportions that on the same day that the PUC releases it’s Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOiP) guidelines is the very same day that I can no longer use VOiP services such as Skype and Gizmo. Both VOiP programs had worked perfectly for the past few months, or at least since the public agitated for BTL to stop blocking VOiP services prior to the April 26th public forum hosted by the PUC. But no sooner has the PUC issued the directive that category one VOiP services (such as Skype or Gizmo) should be accessible by private users of a licensed ISP, than suddenly neither VOiP service works anymore!
How can BTL continue to be so arrogant? How can they continue to treat their customers with such contempt? Why do they feel they can act with complete impunity, in complete disregard to the very regulatory body that is supposed to be able to control monopolistic monsters such as BTL? Why does the PUC appear to be completely impotent in dealing with BTL?
The PUC must seize this opportunity to show the Belizean public that the PUC really is there to protect the interests of consumers, not the private monopolies that happily retard the development of our country in order to enjoy obscene profits. The PUC must force BTL to stop blocking VOiP services. It is not good enough to issue a set of guidelines if you have no will to enforce them.
On April 26, 2006, the largest crowd to attend a public meeting at the Radisson Hotel since the release of the Reichler-Ramphal proposals on the Belize-Guatemala dispute turned out to voice their concern over BTL’s attempts to limit consumer access to VOiP. That’s how important Belizeans feel this issue is. I respectfully request that the PUC take this issue just as seriously and force BTL to submit to the policies put forth by the PUC.
Sincerely,
Brent Toombs
I fully agree. What good is a recommendation if it can’t be enforced.
That is exaclty what it is… “Guidelines”. Unfortunately, if you thought all along that the PUC had some sort of jurisdiction over BTL, you were wrong. And because judges and juries can also be bought, BTL is not going to be reigned in legally until the PUP is ousted. Greedmongers run this country, period. The PUC is a joke.
We should elect Musa and his goons right out of office and manage our new government to a higher level of integrity. Until then, I would specifically boycott all businesses owned by them (i.e. Belize Bank). I’m still not sure why the UDP has been summoned to take on this issue and fight it. This is CENSORSHIP! Where are they to represent us?
Turn SkypeOut back on. Turning if off was a cavalier action by a greedy BTL. The PUC has ordered such restoration and BTL continues to remain in violation. I want only Catagory 1 service; this does not require a license.
Well now I have really proven a point, it takes a good strong woman to get the job done. Our wishy washy PUC is hog tied and in search of a gender, like Nueter genter. If the PUC ran the show where BTL is concerned then they would not have tolerated a shameless BTL from blocking VOIP before they had made a decision, and would have demanded that at the least they would have to follow the rules, if you can imagine the PUC giving orders to BTL and enforcing it. Its no wonder why our neighbor to the West don’t take no for an answer, lack of respect for anything that the powers that be rants and raves about every now and again. I was not surprized to hear the comment on channel 5 news and the holding up of that useless piece of paper saying what we as BTL customers signed when DSL was installed. It would have made more sense if they had first taken a survey from us the customers to see if BTL had held up their end of the contract when they promised to give us a certain speed and which has never ever been fulfilled. Why do we the high-jacked customers have to be held accountable when BTL short changes us? This past week-end BTL was so busy blocking everything that our service was interrupted and we could not even report our poor service or no service. This may be a futile attempt to be heard but I call myself a woman of substance and therefore, must get this off my chest. This very injustice that BTL and the PUC has dealt us will come back to haunt those responisble and I will have the last laugh.
I am a business owner and have resided in San Pedro for over 7 years. My wife and I plan to remain here for many years and want to add my support to defeating this unfair and illegal practice by BTL.
BTL’s denial of VoIP services to their customers is the equivelent of allowing the post office to block the use of email to force everyone to use their mail delivery service.
How would these greedy individuals feel if they couldn’t use email because the post office lobbied to keep it from them?
By maintaining their control and defeating the use of VoIP capabilities of the internet, BTL is hurting the entire country by demonstrating that a monopoly like this can thumb its nose at the public and the PUC. The unfair and monopolistic business practices of BTL hurts the citizens and residents of Belize by maintaining an exorbitant fee structure on all of their services. By blocking VoIP they are making it even more costly and difficult for citizens of Belize to keep in touch with their loved ones who reside outside of Belize. The hardest hit are those who can least afford these exorbitant fees, which keep them from maintaining contact that they would like with friends and family who reside outside of Belize.
Please contact me if and when my support can be of use to this cause.
Mike Brunette
San Pedro Fitness Club
San Pedro, A.C., Belize
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B.T.L .can not Own MSN,Google,Yahoo,Bing.
MSN,Google,Yahoo,Bing. has the right to Block B.T.L.
after all we feel at MSN That B.T.L.
is wrong. B.T.L. may lose in the long run.
there is no support for MSN,Google,Yahoo,Bing.
at B.T.L. so we may remove Belize from our USA DATA BASE. we may have a buyer who wants to take over BELIZE. web browers-MSN,Google,Yahoo,Bing.
and make a new office for BELIZE MSN may be coming to Belize for people who want the real internet.
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