From the Facebook Page of SURVIVING OUR HARSH ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT: written in response to the recent announcement that LIME will be increasing rate on basic landline service from October 2011
Dear Mr. Alex W. McDonald:
I would like to express my strong objection to LIME’s proposed land-line rate hike. Frankly speaking, I find it repulsive and abominable, that your company has chosen to burden the general public of Barbados, at this time, with such an increase.
LIME’s ghastly action should be juxtaposed against the fact that a significant percentage of your patronage/ customers are currently having great challenges purchasing food and other basic necessities for his/ her family. You company’s action is unconscionable and clearly demonstrates that you are obviously devoid of a social conscience.
I am hereby calling on your company to immediately reverse its decision to implement your proposed land-line rate increase. Furthermore, I do think that you and LIME needs to sincerely and unequivocally apologize to the Barbadian public for the stress that you have caused them to experience, since you and LIME announced your proposed rate increase.
Sincerely,
C. Malcolm Grant
Face Book Group
SURVIVING OUR HARSH ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
Good luck Dr. Grant, but I don’t think he will. Alex MacDonald, from my past personal experience, is an asshole of the highest order. He only cares about the huge sums of money that LIME is paying him and ensuring that they will have the continued financial ability to service his contract. He doesn’t give a rat’s ass about you and I.
“You company’s action is unconscionable and clearly demonstrates that you are obviously devoid of a social conscience.”
Malcolm is so correct and it is because of the veracity of the above statement that LIME will not change its mind. Under the price cap, an increase should be linked to performance. This shows the flaws in the Price Cap (PC) because with all the complaints of poor service, inadequate bandwidth, etc., LIME proceeds to insult the public of Barbados.
There is no sense telling me that some of these poor services have nothing to do with the landline, because they are using the landline to offer these services. I personally believe that LIME can do better but chooses not to. Now they are advertising 4G which to my mind is a big joke because they do not have the bandwidth to offer this. So they calling it 4G but it has to be something else, not 4G.
Furthermore for its poor services, the public of Barbados has been kind. We have absorbed the losses in internet services without refund; losses in cellphone services without refund.
The bottom line is that LIME is still a monopoly. It is because of LIME that cellphone services are so expensive across the board. It is because of them that international rates to and from Barbados are so expensive and they are fighting tooth and nail against any other service providers offering better deals. Even the Government of Barbados is doing very little to implement the policies that would effectively put LIME in its place.
In the face of all this, an increase in landlines? This is one greedy unconscionable company and we should all move away from all of its services and find alternatives. That is what I have done for the past year or so. Others can do it.
Let us put it this way, if there was neutral (Government) ownership of the land grid, all cell phone local calls would be about 5 cents a minute and all international calls would be as little as 10 cents a minute. Look at the charges which LIME implemented and you will see that these calls are more than 500% overpriced. Still they want more.
Such is the character of the beast
This is a non-issue that you are attempting to force into an issue. The increase is immaterial ($1.61/month, $1.89 with VAT) when compared with the increases being experienced in the supermarkets and the recent BL&P increase. Your efforts are better directed in challenging the price increases for essentials such as food and energy. There are times that LIME, as well as any other company, may misstep, but your overreaction in this instance suggests a hidden agenda.
@ROK
Thanks for sharing it is why David – BU posted on the FB page that this increase is about increasing shareholder value and profit margins.
Freeman, this is not an over-reaction. We have to start somewhere. Are you suggesting that the consumers of Barbados continue to absorb this artificial inflation. I can no longer afford a telephone. How many pensioners are in the same boat as I am? You may be insulated, but one thing about Malcolm is that even if he may be insulated, to come out in favour of LIME is to severely pressurise the masses who are paying through their teeth for services which are not worth it. What is your agenda? Certainly not in the interest of the masses of the people who are suffering. If I was to take your post to its logical conclusion, you are saying, to hell with those who can’t pay because I am privileged. By the same token, BL&P rates and practices which push up our bills need to be protested as well. Are you of the same character as LIME? So you can see with them? You trying to distract and draw attention to something else so LIME can perpetrate this economic injustice? You work with LIME? You have shares in it? What is your hidden agenda?
History seems to be working against C&W in Barbados, notwithstanding the rebranding to LIME. C&W should consider selling the Barbados business to another telecommunications company, which would be able to operate the business without the burden of dealing with the history of being the monopoly carrier. Digicel should make an offer to C&W for the Barbados business, seeing that Digicel in Barbados appears to be perfect. Or, how about a Canadian telecommunications company making that offer?
ROK | September 21, 2011 at 8:03 AM |
ROK, my issue is that LIME is unlikely the root, but this reaction seems much stronger than I have seen regarding other entities. Examine your current BL&P bill relative to what is was prior to being told that it would increase 10%. Now, imagine what the increase must have been for LIME. Examine your gasoline bill relative to what it was a year ago. Now, imagine what the increase must have been for LIME.
@Rok
Are u surprised that Bartel is still a monoploy? Notr me, nothing has changed. Further, the public of barbados needs to know the contents of the agreement signed between the gov and bartel.
@Malcolm
I always say that when next bartel increases its rates i will take off call waiting. I took aff callers ID when it had increased its rate last time. If it is an emgercency people who matters have my cell phone. You should be advising people to take off all those services, such as call wait, caller id, call forwarding and voice mail. let lime feel it where it hurts. You would noticed that i use lime and bartel interchanably and deliberately.
Consumers need to stop talking and act.
from obediant and not onediant
@Freeman
Lime’s ROI is greater in the caribbean than anywhere else in the world. so would it sell such a lucrative venture. go and come again. it has been protected to exploit us.
obediant | September 21, 2011 at 8:37 AM |
If the price is right, as with most things.
LIME’s proposed hike will have no effect on me. i have already decided that since i rarely used my land line, then i could disconnect it altogether. i have a cell phone and i would have internet connection with someone else. i could care less what they do. i know that they could care less about us, their customers. what customers need to do is find an alternative
LIME will do what they can to sustain their gigantic profits, so meanwhile, I will do what I can to minimize the charges they inflict on me. Every time they increase rates, I look for some way to decrease my bill charges but unfortunately, I/we can’t do this forever; at some point there will be nothing else for us to decrease since we need these services for personal &/or business usage…
BUT! Day does run til night catch it… LIME will not be able to abuse us forever…
@ DAVID
Did you know that 97% of people work a J.O.B (Just Over Broke)…
All of them want a M.B.A (Massive Bank Account)…
Yet they’re all clueless on how to create wealth and be R.I.C.H (Residual Income Creates Happiness)…
While continuously surrounding themselves with H.A.T.E.R.S (Having Anger Towards Everyone Reaching Success)…
And then they wonder why they are still P.O.O.R (Passing Over Opportunities Repeatedly)…
So its time to create wealth by taking a L.I.M.E (Leaders
In Management Entrepreneurship)
TIME TO STEP UP FOLKS: http://www.sitetalkgold.com/
It’s pretty easy to jump on the ‘hate LIME’ bandwagon, especially when LIME makes it easy in their announcement timings, customer service etc. But I am going to agree with Freeman here. FFS .. it’s less than $2.00!! Any idea how much it costs to maintain the infrastructure LIME has in place?? Are you gonna say they make huge profits and should use some of that? Sure.. but they actually do.. and if they did it on a larger scale, ripping and replacing large chunks of infrastructure, I am almost certain this group will complain that LIME is causing a disruption in service or somehow find a way to make it a negative.
People are stealing hundreds of THOUSANDS from the treasury and nary a peep from some of these groups. This isn’t money for a non-essential like LIME landline service, (i say non-essential because there’s telebarbados and digicel to get service from). This is YOUR money. MY money. Where’s the outcry?
I’m not even going to touch Light & Power.
Anyhow.. carry on smartly good people.
So I took a peep at the group.. and just wanted to ask a question to the ‘learned’ telecom boycotters here..
David King writes:
Doc you really need to send your note to the FTC as well. This is a body responsible for protecting consumers as well although one would never believe it. The price cap mechanism is designed for a market with competition, LIME has no competition in the land line arena.
LIME has no competition in the land line arena? What is Telebarbados? Have they already faded into insignificance? Is their um.. “VIP” product not even worth consideration?
Reading the information being put out there almost reads like a FOX News broadcast at times. Legitimate grouses aside.. the country as a whole can do without the constant spin. I almost feel like some people take so strong a stance for or against an issue, that when an opposing view which they have no problem with comes up.. they’re forced to spin it to maintain a position of angst.. or blind devotion respectively.
@ C. Malcolm Grant
Don’t you have anything better to do than write and co-ordinate non-sense? Two bits of advice, direct your energy to your half empty all the time medical centre in st.james and try to find out what deliveries your wife accept at home while you are working.
Also, things must be pretty brown with a medical centre when they have to resort to hosting fitness classes as a means of getting income, the medical fraternity is watching and alot are laughing.
Oh the defenders of LIME.
TeleBarbados is not* set up for volume and has shown a reluctance to embrace non commercial. However it must be stated the VIP service is attractive provided people whose telephone number is important don’t mind losing it.
Talk is cheap… instead of bellyaching, call Telebarbados and agitate daily, weekly (people find the time to cuss LIME with similar frequency) for a comparable service to which they can switch too. If they say ‘no’ .. be sure to ask them why..
Let me know what the bill looks like when/if wunna get tru.. I may wanna hop on that bandwagon, but I gonna let yall try it out first.
#patientlywaiting
cupcake
wuhloss,wuhloss, ya like acid-rain
Oh gawddddddddddd, how i luv de gossip pun BU!!!!!!!
But waitttt, you tawkin bout Sandy Crest? Man I bin day a fu timez n was rale impress-ed wid de service n afta-care.
Tings brong wid dem now?
cuh-dearrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
But anyway, dis is my lass pun BU causen I disconecking from Lime rite now.
Buy y’all.
We can stop the quibbling and truly start acting. I pay less than $30.00 on my mothly cell phone bill. On my landline bill I pay standard basic rate with no frills attached i.e. ADSL standard rate. I communicate efficiently using the telecom devices available to each and everyone of us at minimum charge – what is my point? We all have different size appetites – mine is small. So my expenses will be extremely small.
When I get a telecom service that will outperform BARTEL I shall change immediately, until then I shall use the acid rottening LIME at the minimum rate. How can they profit if business and private consumers maintain a basic rate. Everything after basic is profit – the consumer is giving LIME the profit at no additional benefit. Give me an alternative with redound benefits and I shall change IMMEDIATELY.
http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/news/findings-out-in-digicelcct-saga-not-ready-for-public
@ Cup Cake
For a CC you not easy. I hear the goodly doctor has little to do with Sandy Crest and Mr. Peter Harris of CGI has taken over the operation. I never knew his wife was into home birthing can you elaborate, for my GF is 12 weeks pregnant and would like to a home delivery.
Whenever a citizen tries to mobilize in the interest of ordinary people we get people sliding out of the woodwork ready to throw darts to protect the status quo.
It is always a tell tail sign the person is doing something right.
Write the MD of LIME if you object to their latest rate hike…
On the front page of today’s NATION Newspaper there is a very disturbing story. From next month, October 2011, LIME will be charging you more for your land line service. This rate hike comes at a most inappropriate time, a time when most of us are hurting as a result of the tough economic conditions. LIME, as an entity, and their Management – Including their Managing Director Mr. Alex McDonald, should not be allowed to implement such a hike without us registering our STRONG e-mailed objections. In order to object you may contact the MD of LIME Barbados, Mr. Alex McDonald, via his e-mail accounts (I’ll suggest you CC all): <alinbarbados@caribsurf.com>; <alex.mcdonald@time4lime.com>; <alexmcdonald@caribsurf.com>Let us not passively accept these unreasonable and inappropriate rate hikes without letting our voices be heard. For LIME expects us to be silent ONCE AGAIN, because they have gotten away with such for years and expect to get away with such ONCE AGAIN.
Like · ·Unfollow Post · Monday at 7:33am
10 people like this.
David King To add to what Merton posted if many businesses in Barbados would do a simple audit of lines and services being billed by LIME their respective Financial Controllers maybe surprised at the hefty credit LIME may have to shell out.
22 hours ago · Like · 1 person
Merton Watson
Here’s some more info for people with BB smart phones, you need to understand that if you take your smart phone out of Barbados you will be charged for every text,BB and email , a lot of people are not informed of this .BB is not free outside of Barbados and a lot of people travel and then return home to huge cell phone bills.even if you turn the phone off and the sim card is taken out the country you will be charge, the only thing according to lime to get around it is to leave your sim card in Barbados when you travel or pay Lime for something call Black Berry passport which is an additional $50 a month to your bill that allows you to travel with your BB with out being charged. HUMMM you pay around $40 for the data plan and still you have to pay another $50 dollars for Passport total $90 a month just for a data plan ,talk about highway robbery. Or you can be smart and do what I have done and so many others, ask LIME to removed roaming from your service and when you travel purchase a sim card in the country you are going to which is usually cheap in most Caribbean Islands and North America. Of course people this can only be done on unlock Cell phones. I have a small envelope in my passport holder with a Sim card from T-Mobile which i had for about 8 years now the same number and several others from Jamaica,Trinidad, St Lucia.All I do is when my flight is about to land I just take out Lime’s Sim card and place the one of the country I’m visiting in my cell and when I’m leaving that country i put a minimum $20 dollar on that Sim card so when i return my card would be active.
8 hours ago · Like
Cherie Bayley great info to share Merton Watson..
7 hours ago · Like
Raquel Gilkes @ Merton, this does not happen with my digicel package. I left for a month, used my bb, email etc as normal while roaming and my bill was the same. I hope that was not a mistake on their part…
7 hours ago · Like
David Arthur Sohee members, I know you’ve prepared for a long detemined ride with this one.
7 hours ago · Like
Sandra Denny Thanks for the info Merton. The only reason to be honest that I still have a land line phone is because of my Sweet old mother.
5 hours ago · Like
Merton Watson @ Raquel I’m not sure if you are speaking of a post paid or a prepaid account and the same goes to all Lime customers. If you have an account where you top up or put on money in advanced there will be no problem cause you will use what you have, but if you have a billed account that’s what I’m talking about.
4 hours ago · Like
Sandra Denny Merton boy you just made me go over my office bills and do you know that we are paying $82 for a phone line that we thought was disconected 4 years ago. Thanks a mil.
4 hours ago · Like
C. Malcolm Grant @Merton… Thanks for the eye openers… Imagine most of what you outlined happened when things were going well at C&W/ LIME… They had the monopoly was raking in millions without making an effort… I wonder what stunt those scamps will try now they have competition
3 hours ago · Like
Bob Parravicino Would it not be a good idea to have a joint signed letter sent to LIME,numbers usually impress more that a number of individual objections,just a thought.
about an hour ago · Like · 2 people
Constance Joannah Wilson Hi all, in addition to signature petition, let’s organize a MARCH against all MONOPOLIES especially highlighting LIME.I am excited that we are finally feeling empowered!!
about a minute ago · Like
B-VAT A-VAT
Per day 0.05 0.06
Per week 0.37 0.44
Per month 1.61 1.89
Per year 19.32 22.70
Per day: $0.05 before VAT and $0.06 after VAT
Per week: $0.37 before VAT and $0.44 after VAT
Per month: $1.61 before VAT and $1.89 after VAT
Per year: $19.32 before VAT and $22.70 after VAT
@ BONNY PEPPER
I aint fraid to tell he as it is, you feel it is two people he curse in Barbados cause he feel he is the only one with brain? He should go home unannounced one day, surely he might find someone (maybe even two people) to curse there and then.
Cup Cake
Uh-ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, dah soun like trobble.
wuhlaw, wuhlayyyyyyyyyy.
@BU.David et al…
It might be worth considering that both BL&P and C&W (DBA LIME) are regulated by the BB.FTC.
It might then be further worth considering the Rate of Return for both BL&P and C&W. Wildly different.
Hmmmm….
@Chris
Please expand.
@Cup Cake
Relax!
“TeleBarbados Now 0ffering Land Lines!”
“Telebarbados is now offering residential telephone or “land line” services as an add on to our broadband packages. Upgrade your broadband package to include a telephone service, with great features such as Call waiting, caller ID and voice mail from only $49.00 per month.”
TELEBARBADOS INFORMATION FLYER NOW IN CIRCULATION
BTW the biggest user of Tele Barbados Broadband service is Cable & Wireless or Lime or whatever it is called.
Most of the Broadband service we buy from Cable & Wireless or Lime or whatever it is called comes from Telebarbados.
I HAVE HARD EVIDENCE THAT BL&P AND LIME AND DIGICEL ARE ALL MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS TO THE BARBADOS LABOUR PARTY AND THE DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY…
I also have hard evidence that the rate increase hearing was a charade to cover for the fact that a deal was struck with Emera well in advance to take over the local power distribution operation. (Should I be in hiding?)
@BAFBFP: “I HAVE HARD EVIDENCE THAT BL&P AND LIME AND DIGICEL ARE ALL MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS TO THE BARBADOS LABOUR PARTY AND THE DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY…
Then have the balls to present this alleged evidence.
Come on BAFBFP… Be a Man.
Say what you claim you can say.
If you can….
BAFBFP
” I HAVE HARD EVIDENCE THAT THE BL&P, LIME AND DIGICEL ARE ALL MAJOR CONTRIBTORS TO THE bARBADOS LABOUR PARTY AND THE DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY.
For your information, so too does most , if not all, the leading businesses in Barbados, no sensible business would back a particular party because there must always be a win-win situation for them. I understand the former P.M used to fly around in a particular company’s jet but since he lost, he is not even invited to a simple cocktail party; that’s politics.
A land line is no longer as important as years ago, right now overseas many people are taking out their landline and using just their cellphone. Here in Barbados we can leave the landline strictly to businesses and use the cell but if you do need a landline go to TeleBarbados
The Scout | September 22, 2011 at 2:43 AM | … but if you do need a landline go to TeleBarbados
Barbadians really need to analyze situations and act in their own interest. LIME being a publicly traded company, a portion of your NIS funds may be invested in its shares. If you have invested in a private pension plan or mutual funds, a portion of your investment may be invested in the shares of LIME. If you have an issue with LIME, lobby for change, but why redirect your support to another entity or other entities that are owned by and benefit one or a few people, while possibly undermining your own wellbeing.
@Alien
Exploring other options is part of the process of lobbying for change.
What do you think people have been doing during the FTC Hearing etc?
Did it make a difference?
Are the executives and others willing to take a ‘haircut’ to show that it empathizes with the environment it serves?
Sometimes to get gain you gotta feel the pain.
Another question: Is TeleBarbados still owned or part owned by the BL&P parent?
If so why are they not utilizing the pole plant which is already in place to distribute services?
TeleBarbados for a landline Scout???
Tell me you are joking.
Have you ever experienced their landlines performances?
Bringing hard evidence would involve exposing names in senior positions in a way that I would ultimately feel ashamed of being a part of. But Scout your dismissal in the name of “sensible business” is unacceptable. This “democratic process” is seriously flawed and it works against me as a consumer.
Technician
“Have you ever experienced their landlines performances?”
The performance is excellent. The Hotel that I have the pleasure to serve recently replaced 99% of its phone system with telebarbados services and the savings have been in the tens of thousands of dollars per month.
The call quality of Telebarbados is first class. Even members of the hotel’s staff have opted to remove their Lime landlines and have replaced them with Telebarbados with no regrets.
I am amazed that more people are not switching to Telebarbados especially businesses. The savings are tremendous.
The only problem is Lime refuses to give you your original telephone number. For businesses this could be a real challenge.
Carson C. Cadogan “The only problem is Lime refuses to give you your original telephone number.”
Government should deal with that. In Ontario, Canada you can change service provider and keep your number
@ CCC…
I can tell you of people who have gone back to LIME after having the residential service.
I will admit that their Business service is good, however….I have seen poor service from the residential side.
Didn’t Dr. Grant and Mr. McDonald have spat in the past, something about some personal short comings?
In USA, I think the NEW service provider does whatever in their C.O to retain the existing number if customer so chooses.
I don’t see why LIME would have an objection since they are not the ones to do whatever it is for the customer to transfer.
Get real people….
It goes both ways…..no company will want you to migrate your existing numbers to their switch in Bim.
There are one and the same when it comes to exploiting the people.
@ CCC…
I think you are mistaking business and residential.
What you have in the Hotel sounds more like a PABX switch, which really in not a fair comparison to a single residential line.
http://rjrnewsonline.com/news/local/lime%E2%80%99s-application-against-digicelclaro-merger-postponed
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110909/letters/letters2.html
Another question: Is TeleBarbados still owned or part owned by the BL&P parent?
No it not. Leucadia National Corporation owns 100% now. Note 6 2010 light and power holding annual report
LPH Telecom’s investment included a 25% interest in Caribbean Fiber Holdings LP (CFH), a Delaware Limited partnership in the U.S.A. at a cost of Bds$21.6 million. At December 31, 2009, LPH Telecom’s share of accumulated post-acquisition losses in CFH was Bds$1.3 million. In July, 2010 LPH Telecom entered into an agreement to restructure the partnership. Under the terms of the restructuring, LPH Telecom was paid a special distribution for the original cost of Bds$21.6 million in exchange for its 25% economic interest in the partnership. As a result, LPH Telecom was left with a sharing ratio of 0% in the partnership and ceased to have any rights to future distributions or any obligations to make any further capital contributions to the partnership. As such this was accounted for as a disposal of the investment resulting in a gain on sale of Bds$9.9 million. Bds$2.5 million represents the share of loss as at date of sale.
Here is some info taken from elsewhere, Telebarbados prices don’t seem all that competitive.
I am at my wit’s end with this company, they are beyond disgusting. For weeks now my landline has been out of service – repeated calls to their customer contact unit. They keep saying they will send someone in five days to fix it and NOTHING. The phone stopped working when there was the last bout of rainy/stormy weather.
I don’t know anyone here locally to complain to. The customer contact centre is an overseas territorty.
I have no words to describe this company right now…..
@Nia: “I am at my wit’s end with this company, they are beyond disgusting.
Sigh…
Have you raised this with the Barbados “Fair” Trading Commission (FTC)?
C&W (DBA) LIME are regulated.
Believe it or not, complaining to the FTC officially does actually work.
http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/bail-for-couple/
A medical practitioner and his wife were each granted bail when they appeared in court yesterday charged with the theft of over $1/2 million.
Dr Charles Malcolm Alexander Grant 50, and Carole-Anne Grant , 52, of Eagle’s Nest, Dairy Meadows, St James, appeared in the District “A” Magistrates’ Court on 18 counts of theft of sums totalling over $562 725 from the Sandy Crest Medical Centre, Holetown, St James.
The offences are alleged to have occurred between November 2008 and January 2010 while Grant was managing director of the St James clinic.
Bail was posted at $250 000 each with a surety.
After the hearing before Magistrate Graveney Bannister they left the court via a rear exit, away from news photographers waiting outside.
The couple will return to court on January 3 and 4, 2013