Bahamas Plans to Switch Off TDMA Network

The Bahamas Telecommunications Company Limited (BTC) has announced that it will begin turning off its TDMA network in three family islands in preparation for its complete customer migration to the GSM network at the end of October 2008. TDMA networks in Exuma, Andros and the Berry Islands will be decommissioned August 15th, 2008.

"I am pleased to report that our TDMA migration project is moving on schedule. We have completed the necessary upgrades to our GSM network and by August 15th, 2008, we hope to turn off TDMA networks in Exuma, Andros and the Berry Islands," said Marlon S. Johnson, Vice President for Marketing, Sales & Business Development.

With the addition of new GSM cell sites and the introduction of the 850 MHz frequency, BTC intends to expand the GSM coverage areas in New Providence and the Family Islands and provide a more reliable GSM network. Exuma, Andros and the Berry Islands are the first islands to be completed with the GSM optimization projects and as such, BTC will disable the antiquated TDMA network in those islands. BTC will also turn on its new 850 MHz network and turn-up the new cell sites which should provide the islands with continuous and ubiquitous coverage.

In March 2008 BTC announced that TDMA roaming would end internationally and all roaming agreements would be ceased. TDMA roaming has since ended, roaming agreements have been ceased and the company is progressively moving towards completely decommissioning the entire TDMA network by the end of October 2008.

Posted to the site on 9th July 2008