It is approaching eighteen months since Cable & Wireless Caribbean Ltd rebranded to LIME (Land, Internet, Mobile and Entertainment). The decision sparked a robust discussion in Barbados because the word lime in the West Indian lexicon defines a person operating in leisure rather than productive mode. The acronym LIME from a marketing perspective also misses a key element in the E, Entertainment. Barbadians like others around the Caribbean have been promised the Entertainment product since launch.

According to a BU source the wait for the E in LIME should not be for much longer. When LIME is able to deliver DirecTV and CBC MCTV will get some competition for those who are hooked on this form of entertainment.

BU’s concern about the soon to be launched LIME Entertainment product is how will it impact the quality of the existing broadband service. It is no secret LIME’s broadband network is congested. Most subscribers to the LIME broadband service can determine they are being short changed by running a diagnostic to establish download and upload speeds.

What happens when an already poor ADSL service is degraded by the introduction of video streaming? Can customers who sign-up for the E in LIME look forward to an upgrade to the ADSL service? If LIME’s existing broadband network is said to be congested, how will streaming video impact?

Barbadians have been told if they have evidence of not getting what they have paid for they should produce that evidence at the Fair Trading Commission and seek redress. The willingness of Barbadians to meekly pay for a product for which they are being short changed says it all. LIME continues to laugh as they repatriate those profits to London. Why as a people have we not been able to generate the same outrage we witnessed at the Mavado and Kartel episode regarding the LIME rape?

It is noteworthy that Barbadians calling the customer service number 1 800 804 2994 located in St. Lucia have been encountering numerous problems with calls being dropped after navigating the automated attendant. Who can they turn to for help? Newly appointed Country Manager Alex Macdonald always appears smug and over-confident when he ventures to the media to make public statements. Another pretty face which a company is using to satisfy public relations.

Barbadians continue to be screwed by the utility companies in Barbados but who do they have to blame but themselves?