MCST seeking additional ISP

Male, October 30 (HNS) – Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology (MCST) has invited proposals from parties for providing Internet service in Maldives. According to the Telecommunications Policy of Maldives, the first communications service that has to be opened to competition is Internet service and MCST has decided to seek an additional party to deliver Internet service. Presently the sole Internet Service Provider (ISP) in Maldives is Dhiraagu, a company in which the government of Maldives and Cable and Wireless of UK hold shares. Dhiraagu introduced Internet services in Maldives in 1996. MCST has set the end of January 2002 as the deadline for submitting the proposals. Telecommunications Policy of Maldives has noted that the Internet charges in Maldives is expensive and the speed is slow. It has been decided in the policy to separate the telephone services from Internet services and establish access nodes to Internet in different parts of Maldives. In addition, it has been decided to introduce a flat rate for billing for Internet access instead of the charge-per-minute billing that exists. It has also been included in the policy that leased lines should be offered at cheaper rates.