Draft National Policy on Electronic Transactions (2004)

The Draft National Policy on Electronic Transactions was released for comment in November 2004 by the Ministry of Public Administration and Information (MPAI). According to the text:

“This document provides the principles that will guide the policy for completion of The Electronic Transactions Bill….The main purpose of the Electronic Transactions Policy is to provide the legal framework for electronic transactions. This framework seeks to provide the legal principles to regulate the use of electronic documents and electronic signatures. The Policy provides the legal requirements governing records to be prepared in an electronic form and sets out the basic rule that an electronic record is not subject to legal challenge merely because it is in electronic form.
The Policy recognizes that a legally binding document can be crated by use of an electronic signature. The Policy also provides for the formation of contract electronically and communication of electronic records. The Government is empowered under to make regulations relating to the use, import and export of
encryption programs and other encryption products, and with respect to the protection of personal data. Furthermore, the Policy also makes provision for intermediaries and ecommerce service providers, and for the establishment of an Advisory Board to advise Government on the execution of this policy.”

Download the Draft National Policy on Electronic Transactions (PDF ; 15 pages ; size: 156K)

Read the TTCS comments on the Data National Policy on Electronic Transactions (TXT : 8K)

Windows XP Service Pack 2

Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) was released on August 6th 2004 and it is the largest update to Windows XP since the original release of Windows XP. SP2 is not immediately available (at this time: August 2004) for download from www.windowsupdate.com therefore users will have to download and install the “full” (also called the “Network Install”) of Windows XP Service Pack 2.

It is available from Microsoft at this URL:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/6/5/165b076b-aaa9-443d-84f0-73cf11fdcdf8/WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe

This link is for the English version. The file size is approximately 266 MB.

Continue reading Windows XP Service Pack 2

Slipstreaming with Windows XP Service Pack 2

Slipstreaming is the term used to describe the integration of a service pack with the installation files from the original installation media. In this example, Windows XP Service Pack 2 will be integrated with the original files from Windows XP Home Edition.

Continue reading Slipstreaming with Windows XP Service Pack 2

Remove the XP Service Pack 2 Security Alert icon

Introduction

Updated : January 12th, 2005

Windows XP Service Pack 2 installs a brand new “Security Center” for users to protect their computers against a variety of security risks.

Continue reading Remove the XP Service Pack 2 Security Alert icon

Tech Specs for Trinidad & Tobago

Tech Specs for Trinidad and Tobago

Created : July 7th, 2004

Introduction

This page provides information about some of the basic technical specifications and standards in use in Trinidad and Tobago. Will you be visiting Trinidad and Tobago in the near future? Will you be bringing your electronic devices (e.g. digital camera, cellphone, PDA, laptop computer, MP3 player, etc) with you? This page is for you.

Electricity

In Trinidad and Tobago, electricity is distributed by the Trinidad & Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC). Their official website is located at: http://www.ttec.co.tt/. According to their website, electricity is supplied:

at a frequency of 60 Hertz (60Hz).
the typical residential supply is AC, 115/230 Volt, single phase, 3 wire.

For most purposes, the electrical outlets available to the typical visitor (at hotels, guest houses, homes of relatives/friends, etc) will supply 115V/60Hz electricity.

Notes:

The electrical voltage can vary in the range 110V to 120V depending on time of day, load conditions, demand, etc.
Your electrical device should be able to operate in the 110V to 120V range.

Types of electrical plugs:

Flat blade attachment plug
Flat blades with round grounding pin

Telephones (land lines)

Land line service in Trinidad and Tobago is provided by Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT). Their webiste is located at: http://www.tstt.co.tt. TSTT uses standards similar to those of North America:

Telephone outlets use the RJ-11 socket.
Phones, fax machines, answering machines, modems, etc. are connected to the outlet via a RJ-11 modular plug.

Cellular telephones

The local phone company, Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago, (TSTT) offers both TDMA and GSM cellular service. Reminder: Check with your cellular service provider for information about roaming rates, compatibility, etc.) before bringing your cellular phone to Trinidad and Tobago.

Further information about the GSM service can be found on our GSM in TnT page.

Television/video standards

Trinidad and Tobago uses the North American standard for television broadcasting.

Television/video standard: NTSC.
Number of lines: 525.
Frequency: 60Hz.

NTSC to PAL and PAL to NTSC conversions are available from local video production companies (check the local telephone directory for contact information) but can be expensive for the average visitor.

Internet Access

Dial-up access is still the most common with “broadband” available in limited areas. For general information check this page: Internet Access Options in TnT

As a visitor, you have several options by which you can access the Internet:

Hotels

The major hotels offer access in one form or the other:

The access can be directly from your room via a Ethernet cable or WiFi.
It may also be from a specially designated “computer room” where the hotel already has computers set and ready to access the Internet
It may also be from a specially designated “computer room” where you can plug your portable computer into a telephone jack or ethernet port.

Cybercafes

There are many cybercafes locate throughout the country, check the local telephone directory for contact information. Quality of service, speed and available equipment/applications varies from cafe to cafe.

Dial-up access

One local ISP, Opus Networx offers a “visitor account” for the duration of your stay. Check the website: http://www.opusnetworx.co.tt for further details.

619-EASY

The local phone company (TSTT) offers Internet access service without the need to sign-up for an account. Simply configure your computer to dial 619-easy (3279) and use the username EASY (use all capital letters because it is case-sensitive). There is no password. The call will cost TT 75 cents per minute (VAT inclusive) and will be billed to the phone number from which the call was made. e.g. if you make the call from telephone number 611-0001 and spend 10 minutes online, then the charge of (0.75 x 10) TT$7.50 for Internet access time will be added to the bill for phone number 611-0001. Please do not abuse the facility and leave your relatives or friends with large phone bills for Internet access time.

Freenets

There are no “freenet”-style 80211.b, 80211.g or other such public access wireless (“WiFi”) networks currently in operation (July 2004).

Computer Hardware

Hardware for PC desktop systems e.g. RAM modules, motherboards, keyboards, mice, network cards, hard drives, floppy drives, video cards, cases, cables, etc are available “off-the-shelf” from local retailers.

Hardware for Macs is not so common. However, modern desktop Macs do use some components that are common to both Macs and PCs so, to a certain, limited extent, hardware is available.

Internal hardware for laptops (PCs and Macs) is rare. These machines use proprietary form factor parts which will not be available “off-the-shelf”.

Reminder: If you are traveling with your various electronic devices (e.g. laptop computer, PDA, digital camera, MP3 player, etc) bring: your AC adapter, spare batteries and your battery charger if possible/where applicable.

Measurement Systems

Trinidad and Tobago uses the Metric system for measurement:

Length: millimetres, centimetres, metres, kilometres.
Liquids: litres.
Weight: grams, kilograms.
Speed: kilometres per hour (Km/h).

However, as a former british colony, it is not uncommon for citizens to refer to these measurements in their imperial formats, e.g. “pounds”, “miles”, “feet”, “inches”, etc. Note: the Metric system should be used for all business transactions.

Batteries

Carbon and alkaline batteries are commonly available in the following formats: AAA, AA, C, D.
“Button” batteries, such as those used in watches and calculators are available.
Rechargable batteries and those with exotic contents e.g. lithium are less common.

If your electronic equipment (e.g. laptop, digital camera, MP3 player, PDA) uses a battery with a proprietary form factor, it is unlikely you will be able to purchase a replacement “off-the-shelf”.

Reminder: travel with spare batteries and your battery charger if possible/where applicable.

Recordable Media

Recordable Media is available in the following formats:

VHS standard video tape: 120 and 160 minutes (as measured in SP recording mode). (As of 2013, this is no longer considered a common medium)
Compact cassettes (As of 2013, this is no longer considered a common medium).
CD-R(ecordable): 650MB and 700MB are common.
CD-R specifically for audio is also available (but more expensive than “data” CD-Rs).
CR-RW (CD-rewritable) is available.
Recordable 4.7GB DVDs are available. Formats include: DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW.

Local Radio Stations

Local radio stations use the North American standard for frequency allocation:

The AM band uses 540 Khz to 1600Khz.
The FM band uses 88Mhz to 108Mhz.

There are two AM stations: 610 (state owned/operated) and 730 (privately owned/operated).

There are fifteen FM stations: 90.1, 92, 93, 94.1, 95.1, 96.1,
97, 98.1, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106.

Programming content includes: news, community announcements, local music, caribbean music, east-indian music, foreign pop music, hip-hop, talk radio, religious music and talk, easy listening and “golden-oldies”.

Local Television Stations

The 4 local television stations use the North American standard for frequency allocation:

Trinidad and Tobago Televsion (TTT): state owned/operated. VHF Channel 2 (in Trinidad) and VHF channel 13 (some parts of northern Trinindad and all of Tobago)
The Information Channel (TIC): state owned/operated. VFH Channel 4 (in Trinidad) and VHF channel 16 (some parts of northern Trinidad and all of Tobago)
CCN-TV6: privately owned/operated. VHF Channel 6 (in Trinidad), UHF channel 18 (some parts of northern Trinindad and all of Tobago), UHF channel 19 (only in Tobago).
Gayelle TV: privately owned/operated. UHF Channel 23. This is a “community” channel located in north western Trinidad. Other parts of the Trinidad and and all of Tobago may not receive this broadcast signal.

These stations operate “over the air” on standard VHF and UHF broadcast frequencies. They are also available (unscrambled) on the local cable television system (CCTT) in Trinidad: TTT can be found on channel 3, TIC can be found on channel 4, TV6 can be found on channel 5, Gayelle on channel 7.

Contact the creator of this page

Before you send that email, remember:

We can only answer questions involving Trinidad and Tobago. Do not email us with questions about other countries. We may not be able to answer your question(s).

Information on this page is subject to change without further notice. We may not reply if your question has already been answered by material provided on this page. This page is for information purposes only. It is not an endorsement of the services provided by any entity linked to or mentioned on this page. You are solely responsible for any and all: financial loss, damage to your equipment or loss of data that may result directly or indirectly from the use of information contained on this page.

If you have questions (that have not already been answered on this page), comments, more information to add to this page, etc, please contact us

Last updated : 05/july/2004

DISCLAIMER

The creator(s) of this page and the TTCS are not affiliated with any entity linked to or mentioned on this page. This page has not been endorsed in any way by these entities. Information on this page is subject to change without further notice. If you use any information from this page, you do so at your own discretion and risk and you are solely responsible for any and all: financial loss, damage to your equipment or loss of data that may result directly or indirectly from such use. In other words, if you screw-up, or your equipment or data gets screwed up, it is 100% YOUR fault! Don’t blame anyone else

The IEEE 1394 Standard

The IEEE 1394 Standard was originally created as a replacement for the SCSI interface. Three versions of the IEEE 1394 Standard have been approved by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE):

1394-1995:The original concept for a high-speed serial interface was conceived by Apple and the final Standard, 1394-1995, is based on Apple developed technology. The interface has the following capabilities:
- Data transfer rates of up to 400 Mbps.
- Bi-directional transfers.
- High speed data transfer.
- “Hot plug” connectivity (equipment using the interface can be connected and disconnected while the computer is powered on).
- Digital interface.
- A maximum cable length of 4.5 metres.
1394a:Was finalised/adopted in 2000. It provided specifications for enhanced performance and power management on the FireWire bus.
1394b:Was finalised/adopted in 2002. It supports a theoretical maximum speed of up to 3.2 Gbps at distances of up to 100 metres. It allows new types of media to be used for FireWire connections (e.g. fibre optic cabling). Continue reading The IEEE 1394 Standard

GSM in TnT | [05-jul-2004]

GSM in TnT

updated : 05 July 2004

Introduction

This page is about the GSM cellular telephone service offered by TSTT to citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.

GSM is the: Global System for Mobile Communications. It is a next generation telecommunications service that offers capabilities beyond the traditional voice and text of exisiting cellular services. TSTT is marketing the service under the brand name: “mpower”.

Note: the Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) is unable to answer questions about services in other countries.

What are the features of GSM?

GSM offers the same features as the existing TDMA system :

Voice calls
Call waiting
Call hold
Call forwarding
Caller ID
SMS (short messaging service)
Per second billing (TSTT will not round the call time up to the nearest minute).
Voice Mail (a fee will be applied for playing-back recorded messages while roaming).

In addition to these features:

“Call barring of incoming calls while roaming” (block incoming calls while roaming).
Ability to roam, that is, use GSM networks outside of Trinidad and Tobago. See this section of the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section for more information about roaming.
Data Services
The original GSM specification has a data transfer rate of 9.6K. Technologies such as GPRS (general packet radio service) have increased those transfer rates to allow users to browse the Internet, send/receive e-mail. In the near future, users will also be able to take advantage of multimedia services such as streaming audio and video.
WAP Internet access. (not available from TSTT at this time)

Data Services, including Internet access, are currently under trial and have not been officially launched at this time (early July 2004). The Services should be launched towards the end of July 2004. Further information about data services can be found at this link.

[ Back to Top of page ]

Where can I roam with my TSTT-based GSM phone?

The ability to roam with a TSTT-based GSM phone is dependant upon these factors:

The GSM frequencies supported by your phone. The TSTT system uses 1800MHz (1.8GHz). If you travel frequently to different areas of the globe then a tri-band phone would be a better investment. See the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section for more information about tri-band phones.
Whether or not TSTT has a roaming agreement with the network operator that provides GSM service in the area where you wish to roam. The roaming agreement provides for user authentication, billing procedures and service charges. See the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section for more information about roaming.

Reminder: roaming with a cellular phone (either TDMA or GSM) is expensive.

List of countries where TSTT customers have GSM or TDMA roaming capability. More countries will be added to this list as information becomes available:

This table is based on TSTT advertisments in the Guardian newspaper (Monday 13 October 2003, pages 36 and 37) and (Thursday 12 February 2004, page 79).

	Operator	Available Service	Technology/Frequency	Rate (US$ per minute)
Anguilla	Cable & Wireless	voice, voice mail	TDMA	Special Rates
Antigua	APUA PCS	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1900MHz	$0.66
Antigua	Cable & Wireless	voice, voice mail	TDMA	Special Rates
Aruba	Digicel	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.55
Australia	Optus	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$0.44
Austria	Connect Austria	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.68
Austria	AUTMM-T-Mobile	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.72 ($0.33 for SMS)
Barbados	Cable & Wireless	voice, voice mail	TDMA	Special Rates
Barbados	Digicell	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900/1800/1900Mhz	$0.55 ($0.36 for SMS)
Belgium	Base	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1800MHz	$0.77
Belize	BTL	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1900MHz	$1.43
Bermuda	Telecom/AT&T	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1900MHz	$0.60
Brazil¹	TNL	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1800MHz	$0.92
Brazil	BTL	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1800MHz	$1.43
Bulgaria	Glo Bul	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.40
Canada	Microcell	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1900MHz	$0.69
Canada	Rogers	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1900MHz	$0.76
Canada	AT&T	voice, voice mail	TDMA	$0.74
Canada	Cingular	voice, voice mail	TDMA	$0.99
Cayman Islands	Cable & Wireless	voice, voice mail	TDMA	Special Rates
Denmark	Sonofon	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.58
Denmark	TDC Mobile	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.03
Dominica	Cable & Wireless	voice, voice mail	TDMA	Special Rates
Dominican Republic	Orange	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1900MHz	$0.46
France	Orange France	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.74
France	SFR	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.73
Germany	O2	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1800MHz	$1.04
Grenada	Cable & Wireless	voice, voice mail	TDMA	Special Rates
Grenada	Digicel	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.55
Guadeloupe	Orange Caraibe	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$0.61
Guadeloupe	Bouygues	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.91
Hong Kong	CSL	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.32
Hong Kong	Hutchison	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.30
India	Spice-Punjab	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$1.44
India	Spice-Karanataka	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$1.44
Israel	Cellcom	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$1.36
Israel	Orange/Partner	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.70
Italy	Vodafone/Omnitel	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.39
Italy	TIM	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.52
Jamaica	Digicel	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.55
Jamaica	Cable & Wireless	voice,voice mail	TDMA	Special Rates
Martinique	Bouygues	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.91
Martinique	Orange Caraibe	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$0.61
Mauritius	Emtel	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$0.48
Montserrat	Cable & Wireless	voice, voice mail	TDMA	Special Rates
Netherlands	Ben/T-Mobile	voice, voice mail	GSM 1800MHz	$0.50
Republic of Panama	Cable & Wireless	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 850MHz	$0.76 ($0.22 for SMS)
Portugal	Vodafone	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.61
Russia	Beeline/KB Impuls	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.50
South Africa	MTN	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$0.38
Spain²	ESPRT-Amena	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.80 ($0.29 for SMS)
Spain	TME	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.82
Spain	Vodafone/Airtel Mobile SA	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.70
St.Bathelemey	Orange Caraibe	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$0.61
St.Kitts & Nevis	Cable & Wireless	voice, voice mail	TDMA	Special Rates
St.Lucia	AT&T	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1900MHz	$0.61
St.Lucia	Digicel	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.55
St.Lucia	Cable & Wireless	voice, voice mail	TDMA	Special Rates
St.Maarten	Orange Caraibe	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$0.61
St.Maarten	Bouygues	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.91
St.Martin	Orange Caraibe	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.61
St.Vincent	AT&T	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1900MHz	$0.61
St.Vincent	Digicel	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.55
St.Vincent	Cable & Wireless	voice, voice mail	TDMA	Special Rates
Sweden	Telia Mobile AB	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.63
Switzerland	Sunrise	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.72
Taiwan	Farestone	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.24
Turks & Caicos	Cable & Wireless	voice, voice mail	TDMA	Special Rates
UK	O2	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.81
UK	Orange	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1800MHz	$0.32
UK	T-Mobile/One 2 One/DT Mobile	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1800MHz	$0.35
UK	Vodafone	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.20
USA	AT&T	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1900MHz	$1.09
USA	AT&T	voice, voice mail	TDMA	$0.74
USA	Cingular	voice, voice mail	TDMA	$0.99
USA	Cingular East	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1900MHz	$0.76
USA	Cingular West	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1900MHz	$0.76
USA	Verizon/Rogers AT&T	voice, voice mail	TDMA	$0.99

Important Notes:

¹ ALL calls terminated on the TNL Brazil network are charged a one time charge of US$0.54.

² ALL calls terminated on the ESPRT-Amena network are charged a set-up charge of US$0.17.

Rates are in US dollars and DO NOT include value added tax (VAT)and other taxes/tolls.
Rates are subject to change without further notice.
Charges apply to ALL calls made and received on the handset.
Prices/rates valid as of 09 February 2004.
Prices represent the per minute rate.
Toll and other charges are applied to all international calls made while roaming.
Toll charges are similar to those printed in the TSTT telephone directory.
Additional taxes maybe applied by the individual carriers.
TSTT’s GSM network operates on the 1800MHz (1.8GHz) frequency.

Note to visitors from (USA/Canada/Europe/Asia/”foreign”): If your “home network” is based in one of these countries/with one of these cellular/network operators, then you may have “seamless” GSM roaming facilities in Trinidad and Tobago. As always, contact the cellular/network operator who currently provides you with GSM services for further information.

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New roaming agreements (countries) for TSTT customers

Information in this section is based on a TSTT advertisment in the Guardian newspaper (Tuesday 22 June 2004, page 40).

TSTT has expanded its roaming coverage by entering into agreements with the following cellular operators:

	Operator	Available Service	Technology/Frequency	Airtime (US$ per minute)	SMS (US$ per message)
Curacao	Telecom Curacao	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1900MHz	$0.66	$0.40
Dominica	Orange Caraibe	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.78	$0.25
Finland	Finnet Networks	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz/3G	$0.40	$0.19
Greece	Cosmote Mobile Tel	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1800MHz	$0.54	$0.20
India	BPL-Kerala	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$1.82	$0.48
India	BPL-Maharashtra	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$1.82	$0.48
India	BPL-Mumbai	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$1.82	$0.48
India	BPL-Tamil Nadu	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$1.82	$0.48
Malta	Go Mobile	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1800MHz	$0.62	$0.31
Mexico	Telcel	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1900MHz	$0.94	$0.39
St. Maarten	Telcell	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz	$0.60	$0.17
Suriname	Telesur	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.90	$0.28
Taiwan	Chunghwa Telecom Mobile	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 900MHz/1800MHz	$0.31	$0.17
USA	T-Mobile	voice, 2-way text, voice mail	GSM 1900MHz	$0.69	$0.10

Notes:

Prices are valid/effective as of Thursday 3rd June 2004.
Prices DO NOT include tolls and taxes.
TSTT customers who roam in these countries will be able to:
- Make and receive voice calls.
- Send text messages.
- Retrieve TSTT voicemail.
Customers of these carriers will be able to use the same features when they roam in Trinidad and Tobago.

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Special roaming rates for TSTT/Cable and Wireless customers

Information in this section is based on a TSTT advertisment in the Guardian newspaper (Wednesday 02 June 2004, page 6).

TSTT customers roaming on any Cable and Wireless cellular network in the Caribbean will be able to use the following roaming rates:

Airtime: US 22 cents per minute.
SMS text: US 35 cents per message. Receiving is free.
These prices DO NOT include VAT.
These prices are applicable as of 29 April 2004.
Additional taxes and tolls may be added to the base price depending on location.

These rates are effective only when roaming in the following countries:

Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Barbados
Cayman Islands
Dominica
Grenada
Jamaica
Montserrat
St Kitts & Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent
Turks and Caicos

Notes:

TSTT customers roaming on other cellular networks will be billed according to this table.
These rates apply to both TDMA and GSM customers.

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New international rates

Information in this section is based on a TSTT advertisment in Newsday (Tuesday 29 June 2004, page 24).

TSTT has reduced the rates on international calls by fifty percent (50%) effective 29 June 2004. This rate reduction is applicable to mobile users and means that the discount offered on the 10-10-335 service will no longer be available.

These new rates DO NOT APPLY to the following countries:

Anguilla
Antigua
Barbados
British Virgin Islands
Cuba
Dominica
French Guiana
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guyana
Jamaica
Martinique
Monserrat
Nauru Island
Niue Island
Norfolk Island
Sao Tome
Solomon Islands
St. Bartholomew
St. Helena
St. Kitts/Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Turks and Caicos
Venezuala
Wallis and Fortuna
Callers to these countries will receive a forty percent (40%) discount after the first four (4) minutes.

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What are the rates for post-paid GSM service?

Mpower post-paid plans:

	mpower 100	mpower 200	mpower 500	mpower 800	mpower 1500	mpower 2500	mpower unlimited	mpower corporate	mpower corporate employee
Monthly access fee	$161.00	$287.50	$517.50	$690.00	$1,150.00	$1,725.00	$5,750.00	$86.25	$92.00
Included minutes	100	200	500	800	1500	2500	Unlimited	Not applicable	Not applicable
Rollover minutes	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included	Not applicable	Free calls Mon – Fri: 10pm – 6am	Free calls Mon – Fri: 10pm – 6am
Sunday calls	12 cents per minute	12 cents per minute	12 cents per minute	12 cents per minute	12 cents per minute	12 cents per minute	Not applicable	12 cents per minute	12 cents per minute
Lingo messages	25	25	25	50	75	100	Unlimited	Not applicable	Not applicable
Additional minutes	$1.30	$1.04	92 cents	81 cents	75 cents	63 cents	Not applicable	63 cents	63 cents
Additional lingo	25 cents	25 cents	25 cents	25 cents	25 cents	25 cents	Not applicable	20 cents	20 cents

This table is based on a TSTT advertisment in the Guardian newspaper (Saturday 29 March 2003, pages 40 and 41).
All prices are in TT dollars and are VAT inclusive.
These rates apply only to calls made on the TSTT network (i.e. within Trinidad and Tobago).
Rates for a TSTT customer roaming abroad can be found here.
Post-paid customers get the following “value-added-services” at no additional cost: caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding,
call barring (block incoming calls while roaming) and voice mail, roll-over minutes, 12 cents per minute on Sundays, per second billing.
Data services will incur separate, additional service charges.
A fee will be applied for playing-back recorded messages (voice mail messages) while roaming.
Note to visitors from (USA/Canada/Europe/Asia/”foreign”): These rates are for TSTT customers on the TSTT network. Your roaming charges will be different.

TSTT has revised its post-paid mpower plans. The new plans will be effective from 1st August 2004. All prices are in TT dollars and are VAT inclusive. The following table is based on an official TSTT advertisment (Trinidad Guardian Wednesday 30th June page 6 and Express Wednesday 30th June page 47).

	mpower 75	mpower 150	mpower 300	mpower 600	mpower 1000	mpower 2000	mpower 3000	mpower unlimited	mpower corporate	mpower corporate employee
Monthly access fee	$89.00	$161.00	$287.50	$517.50	$690.00	$1,150.00	$1,725.00	$3,450.00	$86.25	$92.00
Included minutes	75	150	300	600	1000	2000	3000	Unlimited	100	100
Rollover minutes	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included	Not applicable	Free calls Mon – Fri: 10pm – 6am	Free calls Mon – Fri: 10pm – 6am
Sunday calls	12 cents per minute	12 cents per minute	12 cents per minute	12 cents per minute	12 cents per minute	12 cents per minute	12 cents per minute	Not applicable	12 cents per minute	12 cents per minute
Lingo messages	25	25	25	25	50	75	100	Unlimited	25	25
Additional minutes	99 cents	90 cents	80 cents	70 cents	60 cents	50 cents	40 cents	Not applicable	40 cents	50 cents
Additional lingo	25 cents	25 cents	25 cents	25 cents	25 cents	25 cents	25 cents	Not applicable	20 cents	20 cents

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What are the rates for pre-paid GSM service?

An official TSTT advertisment (Trinidad Guardian Friday 5th December 2003 page 39) states the following rates for pre-paid GSM service:

Peak rate: TT$1.99 per minute.
Off-peak rate: TT$0.99 per minute.
Sunday rate: TT$0.65 per minute.
To send TSTT Lingo (SMS) messages: TT$0.35 per message.

TSTT has revised the rates for its mpower pre-paid GSM service. The new rates will be effective from 1st August 2004. All prices are in TT dollars and are VAT inclusive. The following information is based on an official TSTT advertisment (Trinidad Guardian Wednesday 30th June page 6 and Express Wednesday 30th June page 47).

There are 2 packages for pre-paid customers: “just talk” and “talk ‘n lingo”:

“just talk” rates:

Peak: TT$1.59 per minute.
Off peak: TT$0.79 per minute.

“talk ‘n lingo” rates:

Peak: TT$1.79 per minute.
Off peak: TT$0.69 per minute.
Saturdays and holidays: TT$0.69 per minute.
Sundays TT$0.59 per minute.
Lingo: 50 “free” per month.

Pre-paid cards (for both Liberty and Mpower pre-paid customers) are available in the following denominations: The rates are in TT dollars:

This table is based on an official TSTT advertisment: Trinidad Guardian Monday 24th May 2004 page 22.

Card Denomination	Cost of card (VAT incl)	Bonus	Expiry	Available in
$10	$11.50	nil	30 days	e-card only
$15	$17.25	nil	30 days	e-card and mobile prepaid card
$25	$28.75	nil	60 days	e-card only
$50	$57.50	nil	120 days	e-card and mobile prepaid card
$100	$115.00	$10	120 days	e-card and mobile prepaid card
$200	$230.00	$50	150 days	e-card only

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Mzone: description and rates

Information in this section is based on an official TSTT advertisment in Newsday Wednesday 30th June 2004 page 20.

TSTT will be marketing its GSM-based data services under the brand name mzone. The first mzone service will be Internet access via GPRS (general packet radio service). Users will have an always-on connection and will be able to use their mobile telephone (once it is capable of doing so) or GPRS-enabled device (e.g. a PDA) to:

access their email.
browse the WWW.
transfer files.
use instant messaging.

Preliminary reports from users of the trial service indicate that access speeds are similar to those of dial-up Internet access via regular land-lines.

Data services will be launched soon and TSTT has published the following introductory rates:

Introductory rates are valid from 22nd July 2004 to 31st August 2004.
Users who sign for these special rates will pay them until 31st March 2005.
Users will have to pay regular rates from 1st April 2005.

	mzone unlimited	mzone 10	mzone 20	mzone basic
Monthly access fee	$99.99	$37.50	$75.00	$15.00
mbytes included	unlimited	10	20	0
Additional kbytes	Not applicable	3 cents	3 cents	3 cents

REGULAR mzone rates (see following table) will be effective from 1st September 2004.

	mzone unlimited	mzone 10	mzone 20	mzone basic
Monthly access fee	$149.99	$49.99	$99.99	$19.99
mbytes included	unlimited	10	20	0
Additional kbytes	Not applicable	3 cents	3 cents	3 cents

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Will existing (TDMA) cellular phones continue to work now that TSTT operates a GSM service?

TSTT has stated that it will continue to maintain/support the existing (TDMA) cellular network. However, as of Monday 17th May 2004, TSTT no longer activates TDMA phones for post-paid (“Connect”) service but existing “Connect” customers will continue to receive service. TSTT will continue to activate pre-paid TDMA (“Liberty”) phones. If you want to be on a post-paid plan, you will now have to purchase a GSM phone and sign up for one of the GSM packages. See these sections for more information:

Can my “foreign” GSM phone work here?
What models/brands of GSM phones will work on TSTT’s GSM system?
What are the rates for post-paid GSM service?
What are the rates for pre-paid GSM service?
Will TSTT provide their own SIMs for the GSM phones?
Buying GSM phones overseas for use in TnT

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Can my (USA/Canada/European/Asian/”foreign”) GSM cellular phone work on the TSTT GSM system?

It should be able to work on the TSTT system as long as it can use the 1800Mhz frequency. However, the ability to use your “foreign”
phone and the features available to you while in Trinidad and Tobago will be determined by the roaming agreement between TSTT and the network operator that services the
area where you normally use your phone. The roaming agreement provides for user authentication, billing procedures and service charges.

Contact the cellular/network operator who currently provides you with GSM services. This network operator is the entity responsible for making the roaming agreement and will be able to tell you:

Where (geographic location) you can roam with your phone. For example, if you can roam with your phone in Trinidad and Tobago.
If your phone/handset is compatible with those foreign systems.
Which network and/or card-enabled features will be available to you while you roam.
The rates for roaming.
The billing procedures for roaming.
If the roaming is “seamless” or “unregistered”. See the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section for more information about roaming.

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What models/brands of cellular phones will work on TSTT’s GSM system?

Any GSM cellular phone that can use the 1800Mhz frequency should be able to work on the TSTT system. However, you should check with TSTT before
purchasing that “used”/”pre-owned” phone. If you decide to switch from TDMA to GSM, there are a variety (in terms of features and cost) of GSM phones available from the popular brands e.g. Motorola and Nokia. At the present time GSM handsets and service plans are more expensive than TDMA handsets and service plans in Trinidad and Tobago.

TSTT is offering the following Nokia handsets with its various GSM service plans :

Nokia 2100
Nokia 3310
Nokia 3410
Nokia 3510
Nokia 5100
Nokia 5210
Nokia 6310i
Nokia 6510
Nokia 6610
Nokia 7210
Nokia 7650
Nokia 8310
Nokia Communicator 9210i

Further details about the Nokia phones on this list can be found at the official Nokia website: http://www.nokiausa.com/.

TSTT is offering the following Motorola handsets with its various GSM service plans:

Motorola A388
Motorola C332
Motorola C333
Motorola T190
Motorola V66i

TSTT is offering the following Samsung handsets with its various GSM service plans:

Samsung A300
Samsung R220

TSTT is offering the following Sony-Ericsson handsets with its various GSM service plans:

Sony-Ericsson T202
Sony-Ericsson T68i

As always, contact TSTT for further information on cost, availability, different brands of phones, etc.

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Will TSTT provide Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs) for the GSM phones?

TSTT will provide Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs) (See: What are SIMs?) for the phones that are bundled with its various GSM service plans. In general, SIMs will be issued with the purchase of a handset. You will be able to purchase additional SIMs without having to purchase a handset.

SIM configuration: TSTT will provide the SIM configuration in order to identify TSTT specific customers as well as enable various services for the local network. See the What models/brands of cellular phones will work on TSTT’s GSM system? section for a list of GSM phones being provided by TSTT.

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Activating non-TSTT SIMs

TSTT has stated that it cannot activate a foreign SIM card.
TSTT has stated that its GSM services cannot be activated on SIMs from a foreign provider.

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About “locked” phones

Handsets sold by TSTT will be “SIM-locked” and therefore will only work with TSTT SIMs.
If you have a (new/used) GSM phone from (USA/Canada/Europe/Asia/”foreign”) and it is “SIM-locked” to a foreign operator’s network, that phone/handset will not work with TSTT SIM cards. See: What are SIMs? and What is “SIM lock”?.
Note to visitors from (USA/Canada/Europe/Asia/”foreign”): The SIM provided by YOUR network operator will continue to work in YOUR phone when you roam in Trinidad and Tobago. However, if your phone is “SIM-locked”, you will not be able to use a TSTT SIM card in that phone.
The creator(s) of this page cannot provide any sort of help/instructions on how to unlock “SIM-locked” or any other sort of “locked” GSM phones! Do not ask for such instructions.
The creator(s) of this page cannot provide any sort of help/instructions on how to unlock “locked” TDMA phones!

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I am from (USA/Canada/Europe/Asia/”foreign”) and I want to use my GSM cellular phone on the TSTT GSM system

You must first contact the cellular/network operator who currently provides you with GSM services. The network operator will be able to provide you with the relevant details about roaming especially where (geographic location) you can roam with your phone. You can also consult the following sections on this page:

Can my (USA/Canada/European/Asian/”foreign”) GSM cellular phone work on the TSTT GSM system?
What models/brands of cellular phones will work on TSTT’s GSM system?
List of countries where TSTT customers will have “seamless” GSM roaming capability
Activating non-TSTT SIMs
About “locked” phones
TSTT GSM network specifications
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

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I want to purchase my GSM cellular phone from (USA/Canada/Europe/Asia/”foreign”) and use it on the TSTT GSM system

If you want to purchase a GSM cellular phone from (USA/Canada/Europe/Asia/”foreign”), it must meet these specifications:

It must be able to operate on the 1800MHz (1.8GHz) frequency.
It must not be “SIM-locked” to a foreign operator’s network. If the phone/handset is locked, it will not work with TSTT SIM cards. See: What are SIMs? and What is “SIM lock”?.

Other factors to take into consideration:

Do not purchase SIMs from outside of Trinidad and Tobago for use on the TSTT GSM network. See: Activating non-TSTT SIMs.
If you travel frequently and wish to roam with your GSM phone then you may want to purchase a tri-band phone. See the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section for more information about tri-band phones.
If you wish to use the GSM data services (e.g. GPRS), make sure the particular phone model has that capability.
Know what you are purchasing! Less expensive GSM phones tend to be limited to voice and text messaging and do not have data capability.
SIM-locked phones restrict you to a particular cellular network. Lock-free phones (that is, phones which are not SIM-locked at the factory) allow you to use any SIM from any GSM provider anywhere in the world.

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TSTT GSM network specifications

Operator Name: Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd
Network Name: TSTT
Network Type: GSM 1800
Handset Code: TSTT
Network Code: 374 12
Network Status: Operational

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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is dual band?
Dual band refers to the ability of GSM network infrastructure and phones to operate across two frequency bands. For example at 900MHz and at 1800MHz.
What is a tri-band phone?
A tri-band cellular phone has the ability to operate on the 3 different frequencies (depending on location) commonly used by GSM operators. These GSM frequencies are: 900MHz, 1800MHz and 1900MHz.
What is a dual mode phone?
A dual mode cellular phone has the ability to operate in either analog or digital mode depending on network conditions. This description is exclusive to TDMA phones since the GSM system is one hundred percent digital. TSTT has discontinued analog TDMA service.
Can my existing (TDMA) cellular phone work on the TSTT GSM system?
No, because TDMA cellular phones are incompatible with the GSM system.
What is GPRS?
GPRS is the GSM Packet Radio Service. Packet switching utilises the network only when there is data to be sent as opposed to sending a continuous stream of data over a permanent connection. Users are able to send and receive data at speeds of up to (a theoretical maximum) of 115Kbit/s. GPRS enables users to connect to a wide range of public and private data networks which use standard data protocols such as TCP/IP and make use of applications such as email or Internet (WWW) access.
What are SIMs?
What are “Smart” cards?
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards are used to provide individual identities for each mobile user: e.g. authentication and storage for user data and network configuration information. The current generation of SIMs (“Smart” cards) contain microchips which extend the “intelligence” and capability of the card. Users are now able to access a vast range of card-enabled (as opposed to network-enabled) applications. The SIM must be inserted in the phone for the user to make and receive calls.
What is “SIM lock”?
“SIM lock” is the term used to describe the pre-programming of handsets by manufacturers to ensure that the handsets will only work with SIMs issued by a specific GSM network operator. For example: TSTT has stated that it will be selling SIM-locked phones. This means that if you try to use a non-TSTT SIM, the phone will not work.
What is “roaming”?
Roaming is the ability for a cellular customer to make and receive voice calls, send and receive data, etc on “visited” networks, that is, GSM networks located outside the geographical coverage area of their home network. These “visited” networks can be accessed in the same manner as the home network. For example, a TSTT customer (with a GSM phone) is able to make and receive voice calls while travelling in Europe (an example of international/global roaming). There are 3 types of roaming:
- National Roaming: The visited network is in the same country as the home network.
- International Roaming or Global Roaming: The visited network is outside the home country.
- Inter-standard roaming: The visited network operates on a different technical standard than the home network.
What is “seamless roaming”?
Seamless roaming allows cellular customers to make and receive calls on “visited” networks, as long as there is a roaming agreement between the operator of the “visited” network and the operator of their “home” network.
What is “unregistered roaming”?
Unregistered roaming allows cellular customers to make (originate) calls on “visited” networks where there are NO roaming agreements between the operator of the “visited” network and the operator of their “home” network. Calls are billed via one of these methods: Collect, Credit Card or Calling Card. Calls which originate via unregistered roaming are usually more expensive than calls which originate via seamless roaming. TSTT does not officially support unregistered roaming at this time (July 2004).
Where did you get all of this information? Do you work for TSTT?
The creator(s) of this page and the TTCS are not affiliated with Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT). All information on this page was gathered from public sources. No one invoved in the creation and maintainence of this page is employed by TSTT.
How long has this GSM page been online?
This GSM page has been online since 20 October 2002.

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How do I contact TSTT for more information?

TSTT can be contacted about GSM service:

At any TSTT Customer Service Centre.
Via telephone number: 824-TSTT (8788).
At the official TSTT website: http://www.tstt.co.tt
You can also check the local telephone directory for general information about TSTT Mobile Services and contact information.

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Contact the creator of this page

Before you send that email, remember:

We can only answer questions involving services in Trinidad and Tobago
Do not email us about services/problems etc in other countries.
We may not be able to answer your question(s). No one invoved with this page is employed by/affiliated with TSTT.
Information on this page is subject to change without further notice.
The creator(s) of this page cannot provide any sort of help/instructions on how to unlock “SIM-locked” or any other sort of “locked” GSM or TDMA cellular phones!
We may not reply if your question has already been answered by material provided on this page.
This page is for information purposes only. It is not an endorsement of the services provided by TSTT.

If you have questions (that have not already been answered on this page), comments, more information to add to this page, etc, please contact us at: [email protected]

Last updated : 05/july/2004

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DISCLAIMER: The creator(s) of this page and the TTCS are not affiliated with Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT). This page has not been endorsed in any way by TSTT. Information on this page is subject to change without further notice. If you use any information from this page, you do so at your own discretion and risk and you are solely responsible for any and all: financial loss, damage to your equipment or loss of data that may result directly or indirectly from such use. In other words, if you screw-up, or your equipment or data gets screwed up, it is 100% YOUR fault! Don’t blame anyone else.

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Telecommunications (Amendment) Act, 2004

The Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill 2004 was introduced in the House of Representatives in March 2004. The introductory text of the Bill states :

“These amendments to the Telecommunications Act 2001 purport, inter alia, to bring clarity to provisions considered ambiguous, to encourage investment by creating and sustaining a framework for fair competition and to ensure the availability of quality services at affordable prices; all of the foregoing being required by the International Telecommunications Union and the World Trade Organisation in respect of legislative reform in the telecommunications/ICT industry.”

View the Telecommunications Amendment Bill, 2004 (PDF ; 45K)

The Explanatory Notes for modifying the definition of “public telephone service” “..will make it abundantly clear that the Authority will regulate the delivery of all public voice services irrespective of the means used to provide the service (e.g., VOIP)”

Page 3 of the Explanatory Notes for the definition of “value added service” states that : “The existing definition creates ambiguity with respect to the classification of ISPs. Government’s policy requires the regulation of ISPs as public data telecommunications service providers. The revised definition (of value added services) is in accordance with this policy prescription as the definition makes it clearer that value added services are services that provide content and shall not include services by which such content is provided. ……

Various comments/opinions of the Telecommunication (Amendment) Bill :

The Telecommunications Amendment Bill, 2004 was passed in the House of Representatives on the 20th April, 2004. It was passed in the Senate with amendments on 18th May 2004. The House of Representatives approved the Senate Amendments on the 26 May 2004. It was assented to on June 14th, 2004.

View the Telecommunications (Amendment) Act, 2004 (PDF ; size : 33K)
Trinidad and Tobago Parliament’s website on the Telecommunication Amendment Bill, 2004. Contains the transcripts of the speakers in both the House of Representatives and the Senate and other information as the Bill went through Parliament.
View the Senate Amendments to the Telecommunications Amendment Bill, 2004 (PDF ; 62K) listed on pages 7 to 12

SMS in TnT | [05-jun-2004]

SMS in TnT

updated : 05 June 2004

Introduction

SMS or Short Message Service, (also known as short messaging service, text messaging, mobile messaging, or alphanumeric paging, celltext, texting, phone messaging) enables you to send brief text/numeric messages to and from digital cellular telephones. Messages can originate from cell phones as well as e-mail addresses and public SMS gateways on the Internet. Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) is offering the service under the brand name “TSTT Lingo”.

The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) is unable to answer questions about services, cellphones, etc offered/available in other countries.

What are the benefits of SMS?

Messages can be received while making voice calls, there are no busy signals to contend with, it is silent and discreet (unless you have one of the many annoying alert tones enabled!). Messages generated by SMS are delivered immediately and directly to your phone, there is no need to call an access number or enter/remember a password to retrieve it (as must be done with voice-mail).

In Trinidad and Tobago, users of the pre-paid services (both “Liberty” for the TDMA and pre-paid Mpower GSM) have found that brief messages sent via SMS are cheaper than making a voice calls to “send” the same information.

SMS messages are sent to and processed by a Short Message Service Centre, which then delivers the message to the recipient’s phone. If the phone is turned off, the service centre will store the message and attempt to re-deliver it for a period of 3 to 7 days. The actual time is dependant upon the service provider (TSTT).

What is the difference between SMS, Instant Messaging Service (IMS), and E-mail?

E-mail and SMS are both “store and forward” systems that utilize a “gateway” to pass messages from senders to recipients, however, the obvious difference between the two are the length/complexity of the messages that can be sent on the respective systems. The maximim size of a SMS message is usually 160 characters (actual size is dependant on the service provider). The messages are limited to text and numeral characters. Graphics, colour, HTML formatting and file attachments are not allowed.

On the other hand, e-mail can contain thousands of characters and allows the use of HTML formatting, files to be attached and images to be embedded within the message . Instant Messaging Service (IMS), (e.g. AOL Instant Messenger “AIM”, ICQ, MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger) allows you to conduct real-time text conversations (“chat”) with people who are simultaneously connected to the Internet and, in some cases, allow the transfer of files. SMS messages are immediate, but not simultaneous.

How do you send and receive SMS messages?

Receiving messages is easy. Most phones will display an incoming message alert graphic on the screen. You may also set a tone to sound when incoming messages are received. Once a message is received, you can use the scroll keys on your phone to view the content of the message. Options to store, reply, or forward each message will be available at that time. The exact procedure to send a message varies from device to device, but it usually involves entering the recipient’s phone number or e-mail address, and then composing the message with the phone keypad. You may have the option to send the message instantly or store it for later delivery. Check the user’s manual for the specific details on how to access these features on your particular brand/model of cell phone.

How do you use public gateways to send messages?

Cellular service providers who offer SMS usually offer public SMS gateways, which allow you to compose and send messages from the service provider’s web site. TSTT does not offer such a service from/on any of its websites at this time. A number of independently operated message gateways also exist on the Internet. These public gateways are usually available from any computer with Internet access. Examples of locally operated gateways can be found at:

Update: According to a news report (Sunday Guardian: 14th December 2003 page 3 and Sunday Newsday: 14th December 2003 page 8) TSTT will begin to charge for receiving SMS messages sent from the Internet in April 2004. How will this affect the public SMS gateways? We do not know but most likely they will have to shut down.

Update 2: May 2004: TSTT has not implemented any charges for receiving SMS messages sent from the Internet at this time.

What are the fees for the TSTT Short Message Service?

Some information in this section is based on a TSTT advertisment in the Trinidad Guardian newspaper (Sunday 9th November 2003 pg 61)

At this time (May 2004):

There are NO activation fees.
There are NO charges/fees for receiving messages.
There are NO charges/fees for sending messages via Internet email to a cellphone.
There are NO charges/fees for receiving messages sent via Internet email to a cellphone.
There are NO charges/fees for sending messages via a public SMS gateway to a cellphone.
There are NO charges/fees for receiving messages sent from a public SMS gateway to a cellphone.
Sending messages from a “Connect” (post-paid TDMA) cellphone costs TT 35 cents (VAT inclusive) per message.
Sending messages from a “Liberty” (pre-paid TDMA) cellphone costs TT 50 cents (VAT inclusive) per message.
Sending messages from a “Mpower” (post-paid and pre-paid GSM) cellphone costs TT 35 cents (VAT inclusive) per message.

Update: According to a news report (Sunday Guardian: 14th December 2003 page 3 and Sunday Newsday: 14th December 2003 page 8) TSTT will begin to charge for receiving SMS messages sent from the Internet in April 2004. Actual prices have not been released. The charge for receiving SMS messages sent from the Internet will be applicable only when the sender “is not an Internet or mobile customer using TSTT’s network”.

Update 2: May 2004: TSTT has not implemented any charges for receiving SMS messages sent from the Internet at this time.

TSTT has implemented a commercial/pay “SMS Content service”. See this section: Commercial SMS Services for further details.

Commercial SMS Services

Information in this section is based on TSTT advertisements in the Trinidad Guardian newspaper (Saturday 22nd May 2004 pg 34 and Wednesday 26th May 2004 page 20)

The TSTT SMS content service was launched on Monay 24th May 2004. It is being marketed under the brand “TSTT Lingo Info Text”.

Lingo Infotext is available in the following categories/times/cost:

News: every morning: TT 40 cents per message for Liberty and Mpower (pre-paid and post-paid) customers.
Sports: once a day (Monday to Friday): TT 40 cents per message for Liberty and Mpower (pre-paid and post-paid) customers.
Scriptures: every morning: TT 40 cents per message for Liberty and Mpower (pre-paid and post-paid) customers.
Stock: as traded: TT 80 cents per message for Liberty and Mpower (pre-paid and post-paid) customers.
Movie schedules: on demand (will be more than one message): TT 20 cents per message for Liberty and Mpower (pre-paid and post-paid) customers.
Lotto: twice a week (Wednesday and Saturday): TT 30 cents per message for Liberty and Mpower (pre-paid and post-paid) customers.
Play Whe, Pick 2 and Cash Pot results are
sent as one text message. Cost is TT 30 cents per message
- Play Whe: twice a day: Monday to Saturday.
- Pick 2: twice a day: Monday to Saturday.
- Cash Pot: once a day: Monday to Saturday.
“Connect” customers (TDMA post-paid) pay a flat fee of TT$29 per month (ALL services included).
All prices are VAT inclusive.

How to subscribe to the service:

Send a text message to 683-9999 with the words START ‘service name’.
e.g. START NEWS is the text to send to 683-9999 if you want messages about the news.
A confirmation text will be sent to phone being used to subscribe to the service.
Users can subscribe to as many services as they desire.

How to UN-subscribe to the service:

Send a text message to 683-9999 with the words STOP ‘service name’.
e.g. STOP NEWS is the text to send to 683-9999 if you want stop messages about the news.
A confirmation text will be sent to phone being used to UN-subscribe from the service.
Users can RE-subscribe to the service whenever they desire.

How to send a message via SMS on the TSTT system

Some information in this section is based on an official TSTT advertisement in the Trinidad Guardian newspaper (dated Monday 4th March 2002 page 15)

There are three ways to send messages via SMS:

To send a Short Message using Internet-based email, the message must be addressed to: 868#######@tsttmobile.co.tt (where ####### = the cell number of the person receiving the message). The email must conform to SMS message specifications
To send a Short Message using a local public gateway, use these links and follow all instructions:
To send a Short Message using your cellular telephone, the message must be addressed to: 868####### (where ####### = the cell number of the person receiving the message). The exact procedure to send a message from one cell phone to another cell phone varies from device to device, but it usually involves entering the recipient’s phone number and then composing the message with the phone keypad. Check the user’s manual for the specific details on how to access these features on your particular brand/model of cell phone.

Using SMS to send/receive ringtones

The TTCS has a separate page about ringtones:
https://www.ttcs.tt/2002/07/17/about-ringtones-17-07-2002/

Cell phones (in TnT) that support text messaging

TDMA

Ericsson:

A1288
A1228dsi
T18D

Motorola:

V60t
V2300
V2390
7790
7890
Motorola Timeport

Nokia:

3320
3360
5120
5120i
5125
6120i
8260
7160
8860

GSM

Nokia 2100
Nokia 3410
Nokia 3310
Nokia 3510
Nokia 5100
Nokia 5210
Nokia 6610
Nokia 7650
Nokia 6310i
Nokia 6510
Nokia 7210
Nokia 8310
Nokia Communicator 9210i

Motorola A388
Motorola C332
Motorola C333
Motorola V66i
Motorola T190

Samsung A300
Samsung R220

Sony-Ericsson T202
Sony-Ericsson T68i

Notes:

Check your retailer to make sure your new phone supports sms before purchasing it!
If your phone model/manufacturer is not listed here, check your user’s manual to make sure it supports these features.
All sms options supported by these units may not be available on the TSTT system.
Check the users manual for further info on how to use these features on your phone.
Contact TSTT at: 824-TSTT(8788) if you require more information on the features, availability, restrictions, requirements, fees, etc associated with this service.

SMS message specifications

Your SMS message must meet the following specifications in order to be sent and received successfully:

Maximum size of the message: 160 characters (punctuation marks AND spaces are counted as characters).
Messages have to be in plain text. SMS does not support HTML formatting. In other words, it won’t look like a web page and you can’t see colours, graphics or those email “wallpapers”. Outlook/Outlook Express users take note! You may have to check your software settings/options/configuration and switch off HTML formatting.
You cannot send any sort of file attachments e.g. zip, mp3, mpeg, mpg, avi, doc, xls on the SMS system.

SMS Etiquette

Turn down the volume of your alert tone. YOU need to know you received a message. No one else does.
Keep your subject line brief. The characters in the subject count towards your total of 160. Better yet, do not use a subject line that way you can maximise the content of your message.
Messages must be read on cell phone screens so keep your message brief.
Don’t send a “signature”, a tagline, inspirational quote or any other unnecessary material with your message. Remember, there is a character limit so your message will be truncated if it exceeds that limit.
Avoid unnecessary spaces in the message. Spaces count towards your total of 160 characters.

The SMS (Short Message Service) Dictionary

SMS supports a limited number of characters per text message (approx. 160) so here’s a list of abbreviations and emoticons to help create that message.

Numerals

@WRKAt work 2BCTNDTo be continued 2D4To die for 2G4UToo good for you 2HT2HNDLToo hot to handle 2l8Too late 4BARSFeeling very good today 4EForever 4YEOFor your eyes only

A

A3Anytime, Anywhere, Anyplace AAMAs a matter of fact ABAh Bless! ADCTD2LUVAddicted to Love AFAIKAs far as I know AFK:Away From Keyboard AKAAlso known as ALLWANISUAll I want is You AMLAll my love ASAPAs soon as possible ATBAll the best ATK:At The Keyboard ATM:At The Moment ATWAt the weekend AWHFYAre we having fun yet

B

B4Before BAK:Back At Keyboard BBFNBye Bye for now BBL:Be Back Later BBSBe back soon BBSDBe back soon darling BCNUBe seeing you BFBoy Friend BGWMBe gentle with me BRBBe right back BTWBy the way

C

CLD9Cloud 9 CMCall me CRSCan’t remember stuff CuSee you CUIMDSee you in my dreams CULSee you later CUL8RSee you later CYASee You

D

DkDon’t know DUR?Do you remember?

E

E2EGEar to ear grin EODEnd of discussion EOLEnd of lecture

F

F2FFace to face F2TFree to talk FAQFrequently Asked Questions FCFingers Crossed FITBFill in the Blank FUBARFouled up beyond all recognition FWIWFor What It’s Worth FYEOFor your eyes only FYAFor your amusement FYIFor your information

G

GALGet A Life GFGirlfirend GGGood Game GMESUMLUVINGive me some loving GMTA:Great Minds Think Alike GR8Great GSOHGood Salary, Own Home GTGGot to go GTSYGlad to see you

H

H2CUSHope to see you soon H8Hate HAGNHave a good night HANDHave a nice day HLDMECLSHold me close HT4UHot for You H&KHugs and Kisses

I

ICI See ICQI Seek you IDKI dont know IGOTUBABEI’ve got you babe IIRCIf I recall correctly IMHOIn my humble opinion IMII mean it ILUI love You IMBLUVIt must be love IOWIn other words IOUI owe you IRLIn Real Life IUSSIf you say so

J

J4FJust for fun JFKJust for kicks JSTCLLMEJust call Me

K

KCKeep cool KHUFKnow how you feel KISSKeep It Simple, Stupid KITKeep in touch KOTCKiss on the cheek KOTLKiss on the lips

L

L8Late L8RLater LMAOLaugh My A## Off LOLLaughing out loud LOLROFLaughing out load, rolling on floor LTNCLong time no see LTSGT2GTHRLets get together

M

MTEMy Thoughts Exactly M$ULKECRZMiss you like Crazy! M8Mate MCMerry Christmas MGBMay God Bless MYOBMind your own Business

N

NANo access NCNo comment NEAny NE1Anyone No1No-One NRN:No Reply Necessary NWONo way out

O

O4UOnly for you OICOh, I see OTOHOn the other hand

P

PITAPain In The A## PRTParty PRWParents Are Watching PCMPlease call me PPLPeople

Q

QTCutie

R

RAre RMBRing my Bell ROFLRolling On The Floor Laughing ROFLOLRolling On The Floor Laughing Out Loud ROTFLMAORolling On The Floor Laughing My A## Off RU?Are you? RUOK?Are you Ok?

S

SCStay cool SETESmiling Ear to Ear SOSignificant Other SOLSooner or later SME1Some One SNAFUSituation normal but all fouled up SOSSame old stuff SRYSorry SWALKSent with a loving Kiss SWGScientific Wild Guess

T

T+Think positive T2ulTalk to you later TDTUTotally devoted to you THXThanks T2GoTime to Go TICTongue in Cheek TMIYTake me Im yours TTFNTa ta for now. TTYLTalk to you later

U

UYou URT1You are the one

V

VRIVery

W

WB:Welcome Back WTF:What The F### WTG:Way To Go WUF:Where Are You From W8:Wait W4U:Waiting for you WAN2:Want to WRT:With respect to WUWH:Wish you were here

X

X!Typical Woman XKiss XCLUSVLYURSExclusively Yours

Y

Y!Typical Man YBSYou’ll be Sorry YGMYou’ve got mail

Z

No “words” available at this time.

Emoticons

Emoticons (also known as “smileys”) are used to convey a facial expression in text messages on mobile phones (SMS).

:-)Smiley :-(I’m upset/angry > ;-> Rude suggestions %-)Google Eyes :*)I’m drunk B-)I’m wearing sunglasses :-)~I’m drooling :~~)I’ve got a cold :’-(I’ve been crying :[email protected]’m gonna scream :-0Uh-oh :-XMy lips are sealed :-QI smoke !-)Black eye :”)Blushing 😐 :-|Deja vu :@)Pig :-$Put your money where your mouth is :-)Smiley :-PStick tongue out :-(*)You make me sick x-(You’re mad :-“Whistling ;-)Wink :-Sceptical : @Shouting :-oAppalled :-XNot saying a word |-ISleeping |-OSnoring %-}Intoxicated :-vTalking :-wTalking with two tongues (0_0)bTalking on cellphone d(0_0)bWearing headphones (O_O)/Great to see you,want a hug?/getting mugged ([email protected][email protected])Scared/funky sunglasses (x_x)Dead (:0_0:)Freckles :)Smiling without a nose 8-)Smiling with glasses [:-)Smiling with walkman :-)8Smiling with bow tie {:-)Smiling with hair d:-)Smiling with cap C|:-)Smiling with top hat (:-)Smiling with helmet :-)=Smiling with a beard #:-)Smiling with a fur hat :-DLaughter :-(Sad :(Sad, without nose :’-(Crying :-cUnhappy :-||Angry :-(0)Shouting >:-(Very angry :-OWow :-|Determined O :-)An angel :-9Salivating 🙁 )Shocked :-~)Having a cold 😮 zzBored B-)Sunglasses B:-)Sunglasses on head 8:-)Glasses on head {:-)Toupee }:-(Toupee blowing in the wind -:-)Punk :-{)With a moustache :-{}Lip stick q(0_0)pHands over ears/not listening/girl with bows (-_-)Sleeping <|>_<|>Cat (*_*)Unconscious (D_D)Looking sideways

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Who can I contact at TSTT for further information?The contact number given in a TSTT advertisment is: 824-TSTT(8788).
Can you tell me if brand X, model y is sms capable?If it is not on the list, then no. Read your user’s manual and/or check the manufacturer’s website for further information.
You keep telling me to “read the user’s manual” but I don’t have one! Where can I get one?The manufacturer of your cell phone should have an electronic version of the manual available for download (usually a Word .doc file or an Acrobat .pdf file) from their official website. Nokia and Motorola offer such a service.
Why is there a limit of 160 characters?This is due to the limits of the SMS specification as well as the system in use by the SMS provider.
Can my phone be “upgraded” (via hardware or software) to support SMS?If the manufacturer did not include the capability then you either have to live without it or buy a new phone with SMS support. It cannot be upgraded.
Can I use SMS to download new ringtones to my phone?Yes,but your phone (brand/model) must support the ability to change ringtones (check the user’s manual for the specific details). At this time (June 2004) TSTT does not offer this feature. The TTCS also has a separate page to provide details about (Nokia) ringtones at this URL: https://www.ttcs.tt/2002/07/17/about-ringtones-17-07-2002
How do I change the “message received” alert tone for my phone?Check the user’s manual for the specific details on how to access these features on your particular brand/model of cell phone.
Why must I change the settings in Outlook/Outlook Express?These email clients send HTML formatted email by default. HTML is the “language” used to create web pages. SMS does not support HTML formatting. So if you want to use these clients to send SMS messages you have to turn off HTML formatting and send it in plain text.
I used the SMS gateway site(s) mentioned on this page but my message was not sent or I got an error message. What’s wrong with the gateway?These gateways must interface with TSTT so whenever the TSTT system is down, the gateway sites cannot transfer your message. The operators of the gateway site(s) have no control over the availability or reliability of the TSTT SMS service.
Is SMS the same as email?No.
Can I send SMS messages from the network in my office?Only if your network has Internet access and only if the system adminstrator allows it.
Can I send SMS messages from my TSTT cellphone to a cellphone on a foreign network in another country?No. At this time, you cannot send a SMS message from a cellphone on the TSTT cellular system (either TDMA or GSM) to a cellphone on an overseas (TDMA, GSM or PCS) network.
Can I send SMS messages from a cellphone on a TDMA network to a cellphone on a GSM or PCS network?Yes, but only because the networks are operated by the same carrier. In Trinidad and Tobago, TSTT operates both TDMA and GSM networks. Therefore it is possible to send a SMS message from a cellphone on the TDMA network to a cellphone on the GSM network and vice versa.
If I “roam” abroad with my TSTT cellphone, can I still send/receive SMS messages?Only if the following conditions are met:
- You are using a GSM phone from TSTT
- TSTT has a roaming agreement with network operator(s) in the country where you are roaming.
- You are using a TSTT SIM-card in your phone.
You will not be able to send/receive SMS messages if you are using a non-TSTT SIM. The TTCS page about GSM service in Trinidad and Tobago provides a list of coutries where TSTT GSM customers can roam and send/receive SMS messages.
How do I send SMS messages to cellphones in other countries?You will have to investigate this on your own since it will be country/SMS-provider specific. It is possible that there is an internet-email to SMS facility or a SMS gateway you can use to send such messages. Ask the intended recipient to do some research for you. If you want to share the information then email us: [email protected]
Can someone from another country send SMS messages to me?Yes. They can use the email method or log onto one of the local sms gateways and send you a message. Remember
, they have to know the number of your cellular telephone! Check this section for details.
Will SMS work on my GSM phone?Will the local SMS gateways be able to send messages to my GSM phone?Yes. Further information about the TSTT GSM system can be found here: https://www.ttcs.tt/2004/07/05/gsm-in-tnt-05-jul-2004
I don’t want this service . . . Can I switch it off?Once the cellphone provider has switched on the service and your phone is SMS capable, it will automatically receive messages addressed to it. However, (according to an official TSTT advertisment in the Trinidad Guardian newspaper, Thursday 7th March 2002, page 15) TSTT cellular customers can contact TSTT to have the service discontinued. The contact number given in the advertisment is: 824-TSTT(8788).
Is there any way to block someone from sending SMS messages to my phone?The only definite way to block messages to your phone is to contact TSTT (at 824-8788) and have the service discontinued, unfortunately, this would mean all SMS service/features, not just the nuisance messages, would be blocked.
How long has SMS been officially available on the local cellular network?TSTT officially launched the service to the public under the brand name “TSTT Lingo” on Monday 4th march 2002.
Where did you get all of this information? Do you work for TSTT?The creator(s) of this page and the TTCS are not affiliated with Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT). All information on this page was gathered from public sources. No one invoved in the creation and maintainence of this page is employed by TSTT.
How long has this SMS page been online?This SMS page has been online ever since TSTT started testing the service in the last quarter of 2001.

Troubleshooting Tips

Why can’t I receive messages?
- Is your phone capable of receiving SMS? Some older phones cannot receive sms. Check your users manual.
- Was it sent properly? review the send messages via SMS section and SMS message specifications to make sure.
- Did the sender include some sort of attachment or HTML formatting that could “confuse” the SMS gateway?
- Is it a used phone? Did the previous owner have the service switched off?
Why is the message cut off half way through the text?Why did I receive only part of the message? This will happen if the sender did not restrict the message to 160 characters!
Why can’t I send messages?
- Is your phone capable of sending messages? Some older phones cannot transmit sms. Check your users manual.
- Was it formatted properly? review the send messages via SMS and SMS message specifications to make sure.
- Is it a used phone? Did the previous owner have the service switched off?

Useful Links

hhttps://www.ttcs.tt/2002/07/17/about-ringtones-17-07-2002/ TTCS page about (Nokia) ringtones.
https://www.ttcs.tt/2004/07/05/gsm-in-tnt-05-jul-2004/ TTCS page about GSM service in Trinidad and Tobago.
http://www.nokiausa.com/ Nokia homepage for accessories, users manuals, etc.
http://www.NokiaHowTo.com/ Tutorials for using Nokia cell phones (requires Javascript and the Macromedia Flash plugin).
http://www.nokiausa.com/support/user_guides/1,4572,|SRC-SU,00.html Nokia page for users manuals.
http://commerce.motorola.com/consumer/QWhtml/phone_cat.html Motorola main page for cell phones.
http://commerce.motorola.com/consumer/QWhtml/usermanual.html Users manuals for Motorola phones (requires Javascript).
http://www.ericsson.com Home page for Ericsson.
http://www.tstt.co.tt Homepage for TSTT cellular services.

Contact the creator of this page

Before you send that email, remember:

We can only answer questions involving services in Trinidad and Tobago.
Do not email us about services/problems etc in other countries.
We may not be able to answer your question(s). No one invoved with this page is employed by/affiliated with TSTT.
Information on this page is subject to change without further notice.
We may not reply if your question has already been answered by material provided on this page.
This page is for information purposes only. It is not an endorsement of the services provided by TSTT.

Last updated : 05/june/2004

Disclaimer

The creator(s) of this page and the TTCS are not affiliated with TSTT. This page has not been endorsed in any way by TSTT. Information on this page is subject to change without further notice. If you use any information from this page, you do so at your own discretion and risk and you are soley responsible for any and all: financial loss, damage to your equipment or loss of data that may result directly or indirectly from such use. In other words, if you screw-up, or your equipment or data gets screwed up, it is 100% YOUR fault! Don’t blame anyone else.

Proposed Policy to exempt licensing of systems operating in the 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz ISM Bands

In early May 2004, the Ministry of Public Administration & Information released a proposed policy “to exempt licensing of systems operating in the 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz Industrial, Scientific & Medical (ISM) Bands for the provision of affordable wireless connectivity and Broadband Internet Access”.

Read the Ministry announcement of the proposed policy
Download the proposed policy on license exemptions (PDF ; 287K)

The proposed policy recommends the use of 2.4GHz systems (such as 802.11b, 802.11g, Bluetooth) to be deployed within the constraints of or between the user’s premises for non-third party applications and 5.8GHz systems (such as 802.11a) to be deployed for both public and private network services.

The deadline for comments from the public on this proposed policy was Friday 28th May 2004.

View Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) comments on the proposed policy (PDF ; size 131K)

Our main point in the comments on the proposed policy :

The 2.4GHz band should be given the same privileges as the 5.8GHz band and let users/market forces decide which band is more appropriate for their needs. In other words, 2.4GHz systems should be allowed to be deployed for both public and private network services, just like 5.8GHz systems.

Spectrum Plan for Accommodation of Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) Services.

In April 2006, the Telecommmunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) published a Spectrum Plan for Accommodation of Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) Services for comment. “..This plan proposes spectrum bands based on current wireless access technologies and sets out the approach to be adopted by the Authority towards licensing of these bands.”

Read the TATT’s announcent of the proposed policy
Download the Spectrum Plan for Accommodation of Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) Services (PDF ; 128K)

In this document, this April 2006 policy states

6.3.4 Individual or user licences will not be required in order to use radiocommunication equipment in the 2.4 GHz band.
6.3.5 Radiocommunication systems using the 2.4 GHz band can be used for both private or public telecommunications networks and services or broadcasting services.

A 2nd version of Spectrum Plan for the Accommodation of Broadband Wireless Access Services was posted in July 2006