April 08th 2008

The Authority hosted an International Seminar entitled "Balance on the airwaves: free speech and responsibility" on April 2nd and 3rd 2008.
Presentations from the Seminar

March 14th 2008

The Authority has been advised that on Friday 14th March 2008, the Honourable Kennedy Swaratsingh, Minister of Public Administration, exercised his powers pursuant to sections 30 and 39 of the Telecommunications Act 2001, to terminate concessions and licences granted to Laqtel Limited.
Read the News Release

March 08th 2008
News Release

The Dispute Resolution Panel appointed to resolve the dispute in relation to final interconnection rates between Digicel Trinidad and Tobago Limited (Digicel) and Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (TSTT) delivered its final decision yesterday, 7th March 2008.

Read the Decision

February 21st 2008
Notice

The Authority wishes to announce that the deadline for comments on the "Proposed Central office Codes Exhaust Analysis Methodology" has been extended to March 7th 2008 at 4.00 p.m.

January 11th 2008
Recommendations have been made to the Minister of Public Administration for two additional Concessions for the provision of Free to Air Television Broadcasting services
more

October 29th 2007
The Authority has published Radio Frequency Radiation measurements taken from cell towers throughout the country.
more

October 22nd 2007
The Authority has issued a Press Statement on the Auction of Radio Spectrum to provide Public Broadband Wireless Services (BWA). more

October 16th 2007
The Authority wishes to advise that modifications have been made to the following documents:

• Eligibity and Evaluation Criteria for Concessions
  

• Concession Application Form

October 1st 2007
The Authority has laid charges against Laqtel Ltd. for failure to post a Peformance Bond. more

The Authority has issued a Request For Proposals to Provide Free To Air Television Broadcasting Services. more

August 9th 2007

NOTICE

We wish to advise that a modification has been made to the Consultative Document: " Proposed Costing Methodology". more

COMMENTS INVITED ON PROPOSED COSTING METHODOLOGY FOR THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTOR .
more

July 16th 2007
A new version of the paper "Position and Procedures in respect of Non-Objections for Applications to Town and Country Planning Division for Site Approval of Telecommunications Structures" has been published.
more

20th June 2007
Migration Plan: 1800 MHz Band to 1900 MHz Band Allocated to Cellular Mobile Services for the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT)

The Authority invites comments to the captioned consultative document. This document seeks to establish the process by which TSTT shall migrate its public domestic mobile telecommunications network from the 1800 MHz band to the 1900 MHz band allocated for cellular mobile services.

more

June 15th 2007
Applications for the provision of public Internet services using wired facilities are invited.
more

May 24th 2007
A revised version of the document 'Eligibility and availability criteria for Concessions' has been published. There have been changes to the Status of the Application Process for the various types of concessions.
more

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day,
May 17th 2007.

Greetings from the Chairman
Greetings from the Executive Director (ag.)

Expressions of Interest are hereby invited from parties interested in providing ‘FREE TO AIR’ TELEVISION BROADCASTING SERVICES.
more

Notice of Central Office Codes assigned to the various providers of mobile and fixed line telephone services in Trinidad and Tobago.
more

Approved Budget for 2006/2007
more

PUBLIC ADVISORY
CELL TOWER APPROVALS

Issued Jointly by
The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago
and
The Town and Country Planning Division, Ministry of Planning and Development

Members of the public have been expressing concerns about possible health hazards from exposure to Radio Frequency (RF) emissions, as a result of the increasing number of towers being erected for the installation of radio transmitting equipment for cellular services, close to homes and schools throughout the country.
 
The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT), the body responsible for licensing all radio-transmitting equipment used in Trinidad and Tobago has adopted the standards on safe RF emission levels established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States of America. TATT has mandated that all radio-transmitting equipment, including those controlled by mobile telephone companies in Trinidad and Tobago, be operated within limits imposed by these standards.

The FCC’s maximum permissible exposure (MPE) limits to which people may be exposed, provide a substantial margin of safety and are well below levels generally accepted as having the potential to cause adverse health effects.

TATT has included these limits in the concessions and/or licences that authorize companies to operate in Trinidad and Tobago and will monitor RF levels on an ongoing basis.

The erection of towers constitutes development under the Town and Country Planning Act (Chapter 35:01) and therefore requires the prior permission of the Minister responsible for town and country planning.

The Town and Country Planning Division (TCPD) has formulated a policy which includes site development standards and location criteria for the erection of towers. These standards regulate among other things, tower location, height and distance from buildings and residences (setbacks) and take into consideration the visual impact of these structures and their potential effect on residential amenity values. The policy also addresses the issue of towers constructed over the last two to three years without the necessary approvals.

Tower Approvals
To gain approval for the construction of new tower facilities, companies require relevant permissions from a number of agencies including TATT, TCPD and the appropriate municipal corporation or local government authority. As part of the approval process for new towers, companies are also required to invite objections from the public on towers to be constructed. These objections must be forwarded to TATT.  Companies also require approvals from the relevant agencies for towers constructed in the last two to three years which were not previously approved.

On receipt of an objection, TATT will address matters related to RF emissions. All objections received by TATT regarding the location of towers will be forwarded to the Town and Country Planning Division.

Conclusion
The Town and Country Planning Division, and TATT will ensure that companies comply with the stipulated parameters on an ongoing basis. Failure to comply with any of the relevant regulations by any party will result in enforcement action being pursued.
END