KW Telecommunications is still licensed to operate in Barbados Loop Barbados

KW Telecommunications is still supposed to launch operations in Barbados.

The announcement of their interest came in early 2022, however, last week, the Director of the Digital Infrasture Unit in the Ministry of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology (MIST) Clifford Bostic gave another update on the telecoms service provider as Barbados finally launched Local Number Portability.

Bostic shared, “They are a licensed provider.

“The Ministry will continue to work with them in an effort to get them back on board so that within a short time frame, they can also launch their services as well as be part of Local Number Portability.”

That means, if KW Telecommunications does launch, once more the duopoly of the telecoms sector will be broken. The last time Barbadians had a third network of choice was in August 2019 when Ozone Wireless closed its doors. It operated in the market for two years.

Bostic was pleased to share that KW Telecoms would benefit from Barbadians having the ability to take their current numbers to the new service provider if they follow through and commence operations here.

“They would stand to gain those customers who are willing to come directly to them,” he said.

Local Number Portability was set to be a reality back in 2019 but then there were hiccups and further delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then stakeholders were working for an early 2022 rollout but it was not ready, but in October 2022 it was ready, however, MIST wanted to test it rigorously before unveiling it to the public as was done last Wednesday at Courtyard by Marriott Hastings.

As it pertains to the current status of the license for KW Telecommunications and when a launch could officially happen, Bostic said due to non-disclosure clauses in contracts he cannot share such information, but he did say, “I can tell you the plan was to continue working with them and we will continue working with them until they have launched as well as joined Local Number Portability.”

So far KW Telecommunications has a license for mobile, but Bostic was pleased to add that if they do request a license to provide landline services, “it is very easy and that could be facilitated within months.”