TELEPHONE users in Trinidad and Tobago who are waiting patiently for the freeing up of the local telecommunications market may be wondering why Laqtel, one of the new players in the market is keeping so quiet.

In stark contrast to the behaviour of key officials of Irish telecommunications company Digicel, and Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT), Laqtel has been almost silent except for a few print advertisements that make little or no reference to the competition.

Some may even be wondering why -- apart from planting giant telecom masts in every nook and cranny of the country -- the homegrown Laqtel isn’t aggressively pushing for interconnection with TSTT’s system before Carnival the way Digicel has been doing.

However, there is further rumour that Laqtel, while being chummy with TSTT, is working on a merger with Digicel.

But Laqtel Chief Executive Officer Michael Barrow told TnT Mirror that his company has no interest in participating in the “cellphone war” that is currently being played out between Digicel and TSTT.

He also dispelled a persistent rumour that there is collusion between Laqtel and TSTT in an attempt to bowl the multinational Digicel out of the local market.

“There is an agreement between Laqtel and TSTT (which would allow) Laqtel to use some of TSTT’s transmission towers, while TSTT would use some of our towers.

“The agreement is reciprocal, we have an amicable and healthy business relationship, but there is no collusion between Laqtel and TSTT,” Barrow said.

When Mirror asked Barrow why his company wasn’t advertising as aggressively as his two competitors, Barrow said that Laqtel began negotiations with TSTT even before Digicel did: “To say we’re not as aggressive is not entirely correct, maybe we’re not as noisy.”

Asked to elaborate, Barrow said: “There is a lot of noise in the market, but at the end of the day, it would be the quality of the products and services that we offer to Trinidad and Tobago that would make the difference.”

Laqtel’s Communications Manager Jessel Brizan echoed his CEO’s sentiments: “We have a certain strategy to follow, so we didn’t see the benefit of getting mixed up in all that noise,” he explained.

Barrow revealed that Laqtel expects to launch fully by the second quarter of this year, but he stressed that the launch would take place only when everything is in place: “We would launch our service only when we’re confident that we have a product that meets and exceeds the expectations of the people.”

When Mirror spoke to Lyle Townsend president of the Communications Workers Union, he said he is aware of the rumour that Laqtel is teaming up with Digicel.

“I would not doubt it because it is an easy way to make money to exploit the situation and to exploit the consumers,” said Townsend.

“Our role as a union is to protect the consumer’s interest.

“If we feel that they would be exploited then we would get involve,” said Townsend.