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OUR maintains 2022 April 1 deadline to Implement Spending Limit for Roaming by Post-Paid Mobile Phone Customers

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Parent Documents:

    (Kingston, Jamaica: 2022 April 1): In accordance with a decision contained in the Office of Utilities
    Regulation’s (OUR’s) Determination Notice: ‘Improving Information Transparency in
    Telecommunication Markets’ issued on 2020 June 18, telecommunications service providers are
    required to put measures in place to enable post-paid mobile phone customers to set a financial cap
    (spending limit) when roaming overseas as of today 2022 April 1.
    The OUR had previously given the service providers eighteen (18) months to implement financial caps
    on roaming, and the regime was to have been implemented on 2021 December 18. The OUR, however,
    granted an extension for implementation, which expired on 2022 April 1.
    The implementation of the financial caps marks the final phase of requirements to be implemented
    by telecommunications service providers in the OUR’s Determination Notice.
    The OUR had been advised by FLOW that it was preparing to be ready for 2022 April 1 implementation
    date. However, Digicel indicated that it anticipated an implementation delay of between one and six
    months.
    The OUR is of the view that adequate time has been afforded to the service providers for the
    conclusion of all arrangements required to facilitate the implementation of the cap, based on
    timelines that had been communicated during the development of the implementation dates. The
    extension of the implementation date also afforded the utilities more time to coordinate and finalize
    the necessary arrangements.
    The OUR notes that further extensions in introducing the financial cap on roaming services would
    serve to delay the benefit to telecoms consumers in regard to the avoidance of ‘bill shock’ that could
    result from unexpected roaming charges, which is one of the reasons for the OUR’s decision.
    The OUR is therefore urging all telecommunications providers to avoid further delay in putting
    measures in place to enable post-paid mobile customers to set a financial cap when roaming overseas.
    Background
    The Determination Notice titled, ‘Improving Information Transparency in Telecommunication
    Markets’, specifies six (6) determinationsto be implemented by telecommunications service providers
    Digicel and FLOW in three (3) phases. Two (2) of the three (3) phases have already been implemented:
    Phase 1 on 2020 October 18 and Phase 2 on 2020 December 18.
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    OUR maintains 2022 April 1 deadline to Implement Spending Limit …/2
    Under Phase 3, which is being implemented on 2022 April 1, telecommunications service providers
    are required to have measures in place which allow their post-paid customers to set a financial cap on
    their roaming services.
    The above-referenced Determination Notice is on OUR’s website: OUR.ORG.JM. To examine full
    details, search for ‘IMPROVING INFORMATION TRANSPARENCY.’
    -30-
    Contact: OUR’s Public Affairs Unit – 876-968-6053

Office Of Utilities Regulation
Privacy Overview

Data Protection — Privacy Notice for Information Request
This privacy notice tells you how the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) collects and uses the personal data of individuals who will participate in our Satisfaction Survey for Major Service Providers.

What Types of personal data are we collecting?

  • Names
  • Job Titles
  • Work contact number
  • Work email address

 

What is the legal basis for asking for this information?
The legal basis for collecting personal data is legitimate interests.  The OUR is requesting information based on its legitimate interest in conducting this survey, which necessitates obtaining personal data. The legitimate interest, in this case, relates to fulfilling the project's purpose.

Why are we asking for this information?
The OUR believes it is important to assess the views of various participants in the electricity, telecommunications, and water and sewerage sectors it regulates, particularly the major service providers: Jamaica Public Service Company Limited, the National Water Commission, FLOW, and Digicel Jamaica Limited. Through this research, the OUR aims to evaluate these major service providers' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions specifically regarding:

  • the roles and functions of the OUR.
  • the service providers' knowledge and perception of the OUR and
  • the extent to which the service providers believe the OUR is performing satisfactorily and executing its mandate efficiently.

The OUR intends to utilize the research findings to review its processes and procedures related to these major service providers.

 

What will we do with personal data?

The data will be used to contact participants to provide opportunities to collect qualitative and quantitative data for analysis. The information will be kept on a secured server, where it will be stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act, 2020 for four (4) years.

 

How will we protect personal data and how long will it be stored?

We have implemented appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure that we keep personal data safe and comply with data protection laws. The information will be stored on a physically secured server, accessible only to authorized personnel. The OUR has implemented several controls to protect the data, including password protection, multi-factor authentication, firewalls, anti-virus software, VPNs, and Data Encryption.

The personal data will be stored for four (4) years, after which it will be disposed of in accordance with the OUR Business Classification Scheme and Records Retention and Disposition Authority.

 

Who will utilize the personal data?

The data will be collected by a third-party consultant who will be conducting the survey.

 

What are the rights of data subjects?

Participants can change their minds or withdraw their consent to use their personal data at any time.

 

Participants have the right to ask us to delete their personal data. To do this, they can send an email to dpo@our.org.im. They also have the right to ask us to update and rectify the personal data that we hold about them.