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Press Releases
Families of Guam’s Little League players were not the only ones cheering the team from the bleachers in their international semi-final game this morning against Curacao. The island was also rallying the Central East Little Leaguers at South Williamsport, Pennsylvannia, albeit in spirit through an advertisement in the Williamsport Sun Gazette. GTA’s special advertisement was placed in the “Little League Extra”, a special supplement, published by the local Williamsport newspaper for the duration of the Little League World Series.
GTA’s rallying ad was read out by the ESPN sports commentator to millions of viewers who watched this morning’s game on the sports network. GTA is one of the team’s corporate sponsors.
For more information, please contact:
Letitia Law-Byerly, Corporate Communications Manager, Tel: 644-0106, Fax: 644-0103, E-mail: llbyerly@gta.net
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Before its sale and privatization in 2005, the Guam Telephone Authority was the last known government-run and owned telecommunications utility in the entire United States and its territories. TeleGuam Holdings LLC, doing business as GTA, successfully acquired the assets of the former public telephone agency on January 2 this year when the local government invited proposals for bids. Since its purchase, the new GTA has made strides to improve and fortify existing infrastructure while at the same time, introducing services and products to Guam consumers that the former government-owned entity was prohibited from selling.
During the same period that the telephone agency was up for sale, the U.S. military was also increasing its missions on Guam. The island is the commanding base of Naval Forces Marianas and home port to a squadron of three Los Angeles-class submarines as well as the operations center of the Air Force 36th Air Base Wing. Guam plays a strategic offensive military role if crises or conflicts occur in potential trouble spots in the Asia-Pacific region. Given the strategic importance of the island and the government and private sector’s desire to increase military presence on Guam, it behooved GTA that its telecommunications assets be upgraded and fortified to support the needs of its local residential, business, government and military customers.
GTA launched Operation Safe Ground on June 22 this year to remove nearly 25,000 telephone pedestals from above ground along Guam’s roadways and relocate exposed connections and equipment beneath the surface in protected enclosures. Installation of specially designed shutter boxes is part of this long-term implementation plan. The first shutter box was recently put in place in the island’s southern village of Agat.
The shutter box, a high-performance, durable thermoplastic casing, houses a mini rocker access terminal that runs a 25-pair feeder cable. GTA chose the new line of “Shutter Box’ Series GLB manufactured by Channell for several reasons. One, GTA engineers and technicians will be able to trouble-shoot and repair damaged lines in a faster response time, as the shutter boxes are designed to be easily accessible. Each box features “snap-in” enclosures and a patented universal “L” bolt latching system for crews to open the boxes without hassle and do their diagnostics. Secondly, the shutter boxes provide long-term protection of cables even in the harshest soil conditions. Thirdly, with their straight sidewalls and high rib design, the shutter boxes can withstand a load capacity of up to 10,000 pounds or five tons of static weight. This is a critical consideration for below ground installations along Guam’s sidewalks in the long-run.
“The new GTA is safeguarding the island’s telecommunication service by eliminating above ground pedestals and placing telephone cable enclosures underground. Our goal is to improve the overall quality of Guam’s telecommunications with better reception, less service interruptions and enable quicker repairs,” says Bob Taylor, GTA’s President and CEO. Taylor added removing the pedestals will also make Guam’s highways safer and help to beautify the island.
The cost of GTA’s ‘Operation Safe Ground’ is approximately $90 million (ninety million dollars) in terms of materials and manpower during the 10-year target period.
About Guam: Situated in the Western Pacific, approximately 1,550 miles south of Japan and 3,800 miles west of Hawaii, Guam’s geographic location makes the island the gateway to Micronesia, a region of over 2,200 islands and atolls spread over 3 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean and a convenient stop-over point for trans-Pacific travelers. Guam is the largest and southernmost of the islands in the Marianas archipelago with excellent air service to major cities throughout Asia. Guam lies 13 degrees 38 minutes North latitude and 144 degrees 44 minutes East longitude. The island is the westernmost territory of the United States and 15 hours ahead of Eastern Seaboard Time Zone.
For more information, please contact:
Letitia Law-Byerly, Corporate Communications Manager, Tel: 644-0106, Fax: 644-0103, E-mail: llbyerly@gta.net
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The Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS), a White House-directed emergency phone service, is now active and available on Guam. GTA’s network was recently GETS certified when it enhanced routing capabilities which allow GETS call traffic to receive priority treatment over normal telephone calls.
GTA today presented Governor Felix Camacho his personal GETS card as part of the company’s public announcement about the availability of this emergency phone service on island.
“Guam, like the rest of the U.S. mainland, Alaska and Hawaii, is now GETS compliant. This means that as Guam’s local exchange carrier (LEC), GTA is able to provide the necessary network for GETS subscribers, such as federal and local government agencies who qualify for the service, to receive emergency access and priority processing so that they can perform their National Security and Emergency Preparedness (NS/EP) missions when there’s a national emergency or crisis,” said GTA’s President and CEO, Bob Taylor, at the Governor’s chamber.
Taylor said that in the aftermath of 9/11, the GETS concept had taken on an even greater significance because of the increasing reliance on telecommunications. With Guam being vulnerable to natural disasters such as typhoons or earthquakes, it is all the more critical to have a network that allows emergency calls to be connected and completed during the most severe conditions of high-traffic congestion and disruption, according to Taylor.
GETS is provided by National Communications System (NCS) in the Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Division of the federal Department of Homeland Security. According to the GETS information website, there are five broad categories that serve as guidelines to determine who may qualify as potential GETS users. Users may be in federal, state, local or tribal government, industry or non-profit organizations who perform what are called National Security/Emergency Preparedness (NS/EP) functions. The five categories include people who work in national security leadership; national security posture and U.S. population attack warning; public health, safety and maintenance of law and order; public welfare and maintenance of national economic posture; and disaster recovery.
In Guam’s case, the main point of contact for local agencies wishing to apply for GETS cards is the Guam Office of Homeland Security Advisor, Frank Blas Jr.
For more information, interested subscribers can log onto http://gets.ncs.gov/. For more information about GTA, contact (671) 644-4GTA.
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GTA today rolls out its SPYDER DSL broadband and dial-up Internet services to an eager Guam public. With the introduction of its SPYDER Internet services, GTA takes another step forward to claim its market position as Guam’s leading telecommunications provider.
“Although our DSL service is currently only available to those customers who have pre-existing DSL service with other providers, we will be increasing our capacity to let new users open up accounts very soon in the fall,” said Rob Smith, GTA Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Smith adds that GTA plans to further increase consumers’ choices for various communications solutions in the coming months.
GTA’s SPYDER Internet services offers a variety of economical price plans to suit individuals’ or companies’ budgetary means yet allow users access to high-speed connections for their e-mails, the worldwide web and web page creation. Better yet, if a customer is already a GTA cellular or long-distance subscriber, that customer will enjoy even lower monthly Internet service rates. GTA SPYDER price plans are as follows:
For unlimited broadband DSL:
Residential
QuickStart DSL: $39.95/month
QuickStart DSL with either existing GTA Wireless OR Long Distance Plan: $37.95/month
QuickStart DSL with both existing GTA Wireless and Long Distance Plan: $35.95/month
Business
QuickStart DSL: $44.95/month
QuickStart DSL with either existing GTA Wireless OR Long Distance Plan: $42.95/month
QuickStart DSL with both existing GTA Wireless and Long Distance Plan: $40.95/month
For unlimited 56K accelerated dial-up:
Unlimited QuickStart Dial-up: $13.95/month
Unlimited QuickStart Dial-up with either existing GTA Wireless OR Long Distance Plan: $5.95/month
Unlimited QuickStart Dial-up with both existing GTA Wireless and Long Distance Plan: Free
All prices exclude taxes, fees, universal service charges and other fees.
Through a single DSL access account, GTA SPYDER’s DSL unlimited broadband service allows a residential subscriber up to three residential e-mail address accounts, each 5mb in size. In the case of companies, a commercial customer can have up to five business e-mail address accounts, each 5mb in size. Another feature is that the subscriber will have personal web page space that is 10mb in size.
GTA dial-up customers will experience high-speed accelerated connection by up to five times with their existing dial-up phone lines and modems. Dial-up subscribers will also receive an e-mail address account of 5mb in size plus 10mb of personal web page space.
All GTA SPYDER DSL or Dial-Up subscribers will have free e-mail virus filter, spam filter and grey mail (spam management), e-mail via web browser, tattle mail (allows a parent to safeguard children from being exposed to quarantined spam messages by restricting kids’ access) and “my” account access. GTA has also established a free 24-hour, seven-days-a-week technical phone support to assist customers with questions or problems they encounter during set up or with their connections.
For more information about GTA’s SPYDER Internet service, call 644-4GTA (4482).
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GTA’s Northern Business Office in Dededo will open Saturdays offering customer service beginning on August 6, 2005. Effective this week, the Dededo office hours will be Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., except public holidays and Sundays.
“The new extended service hours in Dededo provides a convenience to many customers who are pressed for time during the week and run errands on Saturdays. GTA customers will be able to pay bills, make inquiries about their invoices and apply for residential landline, cellular and Internet services. We’re launching the new Saturday business hours in Dededo first to gauge the customer response and will consider implementing the same operation in our main Tamuning business office later,” says Lucia Perez, GTA Managing Director of Client Services.
For assistance or more information, call 644-4GTA.
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GTA launched its latest long-distance service plan on July 1, 2005, benefiting customers who often call overseas countries, with its 25% discount on regular international direct dial rates. With a low monthly recurring charge of $5.95, the 25% discount on GTA’s Most Favored Nation plan is available on long-distance calls to all international destinations, including Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. Calls to the U.S. mainland, Alaska and Hawaii are considered domestic and not included in this plan.
View Most Favored Nation Plan Brochure: Front | Back
Customers can choose as many countries as they want on their Most Favored Nation long-distance plan to enjoy the 25% off on international calls provided they pay the monthly charge for each country they select. For example, if a customer chooses both the Philippines and Japan, the recurring monthly rate is $11.90 ($5.95 per country).
“Guam residents who have family and friends living overseas will appreciate this long-distance service plan as it provides good value and the convenience of dialing direct to the country or countries they call the most without having to remember access numbers, special codes, or personal identification numbers. There is no worry about your minutes running out in the middle of a call with this plan. You also get a call detail record of your phone calls,” says Ernie Galito, GTA Managing Director of Marketing and Product Development.
Although the U.S. mainland, Alaska and Hawaii are not included in the Most Favored Nation Plan, Galito says customers can enjoy savings on calls to the contiguous forty-eight states, Alaska and Hawaii with GTA’s Unlimited One:Residential bundled services plan or Call U.S.A. Advantage plan. They can also combine one of these long-distance plans with the Most Favored Nation service.
For more information about the Most Favored Nation Plan or other products and services, call GTA at 644-4GTA (4482), visit the Tamuning or Dededo offices or go online to www.gta.net.
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GTA launched its ‘Operation Safe Ground’ today with the placement of telephone cable enclosures underground from three pedestals along Route 4 in Ordot-Chalan Pago.
The long-term project, estimated to take as long as 10 years or more to complete, will remove nearly 25,000 telephone pedestals from above ground along Guam’s roadways and relocate telephone cables beneath the surface in protected enclosures. The cost of GTA’s ‘Operation Safe Ground’ is approximately $90 million (ninety million dollars) in terms of materials and manpower.
“The new GTA is launching this long-term program to safeguard the island’s telecommunication service by eliminating above ground pedestals and placing telephone cable enclosures underground. Our goal is to improve the overall quality of Guam’s telecommunications with better reception, less service interruptions and enable quicker repairs,” says Bob Taylor, GTA’s President and CEO. Taylor added removing the pedestals will also make Guam’s highways safer and help to beautify the island.
Bob Taylor, president & CEO of GTA (extreme left) with dignitary guests, Senator Joanne Brown, Vice-Speaker of the 28th Guam Legislature; Kimberly Cruz, representing the Mayor of Ordot-Chalan Pago village; Lawrence Perez,
Director of Guam Department of Public Works; and Shawn Gumataotao, Executive Assistant to the Governor, ready to shovel the first dirt in the new cable enclosure.
Pedestals along Marine Corps Drive and Route 16 will be among the first ones to be removed with telephone cables in these boxes transferred underground. This is to comply with the American Disabilities Act (ADA) to allow physically disabled individuals access to pedestrian sidewalks. Other priority areas include villages in the south, especially the low-lying coastal areas, that will see the project implemented.
In order to ensure that all telephone cables are well protected underground, GTA engineers and technicians are harnessing a cost-effective but advanced method of anchoring wires in module splices. The 3M™ Modular Splicing System encapsulates wire cables in special sealant boxes that protect them from moisture. There are also fire-retardant and specialty modules available for different applications. The modular splicing system allows telephone companies such as GTA to connect and cut off up to 25 pairs of conductor wires efficiently from both a central office and field at the same time, without the technician having to join conductors using connectors as in the traditional more labor-intensive ‘twist and crank’ splicing method. Modules, as designed by 3M™, accept a mixture of wire gauges (thickness) and insulation types in one module.
GTA's Launch of Operation Safe Ground was on Route 4 in Ordot.
Phase 2 of GTA’s Operation Safe Ground will involve installation of access terminals for new phone subscribers as well as for the purpose of carrying out diagnostics during outages. These access terminals will be housed in fiber glass casing.
For more information, please contact:
Letitia Law-Byerly, Corporate Communications Manager, Tel: 644-0106, Fax: 644-0103, E-mail: llbyerly@gta.net
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In a major upgrade to Guam’s telecommunications network, GTA is deploying an advanced standard of optical network equipment for connecting fiber optic transmission systems, which when completed, is capable of transporting a greater volume of traffic – both voice and data – as well as automatically provide protection to the network in the event of fiber damage or cuts.
At a cost of $2 million, the Synchronous Optical NETwork or SONET Optical Metro 3500 replaces twenty-year-old existing optical equipment. The upgrade enables the new GTA to provide its interconnect carrier customers and consumers with better equipment survivability and capacity for increased network traffic. “The new SONET ring works like a self-healing network that recognizes fiber cuts and re-routes telecommunications traffic before service is interrupted or downgraded. This new optical equipment essentially protects the island’s telephone transmission network if a fiber optic line is cut or damaged accidentally,” explains David Duenas, GTA’s Managing Director of Inside Plant and Operations.
GTA will implement the first cutover to the new SONET Optical Metro 3500 equipment for the transmission network that encircles the populous Tumon-Tamuning commercial and residential district with the 642 to 649 prefixes for their telecommunication services. “Ring A” as the Tumon-Tamuning core is named is the first of five rings to be cut over to the new SONET optical equipment, to increase capacity for voice and data transmission and to meet traffic demands from interconnect carriers. This will be followed immediately by Barrigada Heights as the site is GTA’s transmission hub for E911 services and wireless interconnect carrier customers.
Customers will not notice any interruptions to their telecommunications services as the cutover will happen late at night. “Most of the work will occur past midnight so it will be a seamless transition,” assures Duenas.
For more information, please contact:
Letitia Law-Byerly, Corporate Communications Manager, Tel: 644-0106, Fax: 644-0103, E-mail: llbyerly@gta.net
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CSG Systems (NASDAQ: CSGS), a leading global provider of customer care and billing solutions, today announced that GTA, a local exchange carrier providing telecommunications services on the island of Guam, has successfully deployed the latest version of CSG® ICMS.
The upgrade to CSG’s newest version of ICMS supports the operator’s transformation from a government entity to a privately-held telecommunications operator. GTA, which has used the ICMS platform since 1999, sought to upgrade its billing systems in order to prepare for privatization, which became effective Jan. 1.
In addition to the ICMS upgrade, GTA will leverage CSG’s print and mail services to produce monthly statements for its 40,000 subscribers and also will leverage complementary solutions offered by CSG partner Sateri Systems to provide electronic bill presentment and online customer service.
“CSG and its partner Sateri have been very supportive in GTA’s transition from a government entity to a private telecommunications company,” said Bob Taylor, President and Chief Executive Officer of GTA. “By upgrading our ICMS billing platform, GTA is better equipped to meet the needs of our customers and deliver innovative telecommunications services. GTA was impressed with success of the ICMS upgrade, which has paved the way for us to add more features, functions and new services. CSG completed the project ahead of schedule, which greatly accelerated GTA’s timeframe for its market launch.”
“CSG is proud to continue its partnership with GTA as it evolves from a government-owned entity to a privately-held company,” said Mike Wofford, President of plaNET Consulting, a division of CSG Systems. “We look forward to continuing to enable GTA to leverage its enhanced ICMS platform to support new services and deliver high customer satisfaction.”
CSG® ICMS is an advanced, multi-service solution spanning customer care, provisioning, billing, inventory management, facilities management and more. Based on the IBM eServer iSeries platform, CSG® ICMS offers operators the choice of a multi-service (wireline, wireless, cable television, data services and Internet services), or a single line of business system.
With pre-integrated modules that handle virtually every aspect of the customer care and billing process, operators can reduce cost of operations, capture new revenues faster and increase customer satisfaction. CSG® ICMS currently serves more than 40 customers in 20 countries around the world in the broadband, wireline and wireless voice and data telephony markets.
About CSG Systems
With worldwide headquarters in Denver, Colo., CSG Systems is a subsidiary of CSG Systems International, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGS) Serving telecommunications service providers in over 40 countries, CSG is a leader in next-generation billing and customer care solutions for the cable television, direct broadcast satellite, advanced IP services, next generation mobile, and fixed wireline markets. CSG’s unique combination of proven and future-ready solutions, delivered in both outsourced and licensed formats, empowers its clients to deliver unparalleled customer service, improve operational efficiencies and rapidly bring new revenue-generating products to market. For more information, visit our website at www.csgsystems.com.
For more information, please contact:
Clare Goodwin, CSG Systems
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7 004 1602
E-mail: clare_goodwin@csgsystems.com
Liz Bauer, CSG Systems
Tel: +1 (303) 804-4065
E-mail: liz_bauer@csgystems.com
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GTA today unveiled its residential long-distance service that provides crystal-clear connections, great convenience, and savings to customers. GTA’s long-distance service allows customers to pick a plan that fits their calling habits whether it’s by the call or by the month.
GTA long-distance service to the U.S. is supported by a 100 percent all-fiber optic long-distance network which means calls to the 48 states, Hawaii and Alaska from Guam has the same clear quality as those made by phone users stateside. Rob Smith, GTA’s vice president of sales and marketing, explained that the point-of-presence for all GTA calls is in California, which results in high quality, crystal-clear connections. GTA has also invested over a million dollars to upgrade switches, purchase fiber optics to increase capacity to the U.S. mainland, acquired and installed software and equipment and billing systems.
GTA customers can now also enjoy the experience of one-stop shopping for their phone services. When they sign up for local phone service at GTA, they can also opt for GTA long distance plans at the same time. The hassle is lessened even more with the convenience of receiving an easy-to-understand billing statement that combines their local phone service charges with their long distance call expenses in one invoice. GTA’s new look monthly invoice was just introduced this month and by June, customers can look forward to a more refined statement that shows bundled services.
Smith said GTA’s bundled services plan offers consumers tremendous cost savings at a rate of $58.95 a month. The bundled services plan includes local phone service, unlimited long distance calls to the U.S., features such as caller I.D., voice-mail, simultaneous ring of home phones with GTA wireless phones and inside wiring maintenance insurance.
GTA’s international call rates for major destinations vary from country to country but are competitive with other local long-distance carriers’ rates, according to Smith. For instance, calls to the CNMI are 10 cents a minute; to Hong Kong, Korea or Taiwan, 17 cents a minute; to Japan, 20 cents a minute; and to the Philippines, 21 cents per minute. The international long distance call rates vary because telephone companies and authorities in each destination charge prices for access that differ from country to country.
“I believe that GTA offers the best all around long distance package on Guam. Our prices are designed to be competitive to suit the needs of people with many different types of calling patterns. We have designed packages that will definitely help customers cut their long distance expenses,” said Smith.
For more information about GTA long-distance service, contact 644-4GTA or log onto www.gta.net
For more information, please contact:
Letitia Law-Byerly, Corporate Communications Manager, Tel: 644-0106, Fax: 644-0103, E-mail: llbyerly@gta.net
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Reflecting its commitment to deliver more enhanced services to customers, GTA has phased out the old card format for single line subscribers and the perforated multi-page billing statement for multi-line accounts with a new and redesigned user-friendly invoice. GTA phone customers can expect to receive their April new billing statements in their mailboxes starting today. GTA cellular customers will also be receiving their invoices variously next week since the company introduced its wireless phone plans in late February.
Click here to view new invoice format.
According to Ernie Galito, GTA’s Managing Director of Sales & Marketing, customers can expect to see, by June, an even more refined statement that will show a consolidation of the various GTA services which phone users are subscribing to. “In June, the Account Summary in the new statement will summarize the total expenses incurred for each service such as local phone services, long distance, and other new services plus the applicable tax and surcharges. The Account Details in the subsequent pages will show customers the breakdown of expenses, for example, phone features like voice-mail, call forwarding, call waiting, caller I.D. and for long distance calls made, duration and destinations,” explains Galito.
GTA has also notified customers who have received but not pay their March bills to do so by Monday, April 18 before 6:00 p.m. to avoid service suspension.
For more information, please contact:
Ernie Galito, Managing Director, Sales & Marketing, Tel: 644-0100/101 or
Letitia Law-Byerly, Corporate Communications Manager, Tel: 644-0106, Fax: 644-0103, E-mail: llbyerly@gta.net
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Visitors to the Pacific Hotel and Restaurant Expo (PHARE) 2005 show can look forward to a preview of several new and exciting products and services at the GTA booth.
Customers interested in GTA’s attractive “All You Can Talk” cellular phone service will be able to sign up and have the service activated at the point-of-sale. GTA sales associates will also pre-sell GTA’s new long-distance residential phone service, new and enhanced voice-mail service, and Internet Dial-up services. For customers who sign up and commit to 12 months for any of the services, GTA will provide one month’s rate for free. The incentive offer is only available at PHARE.
There will be raffles and giveaways for fair goers at the GTA booth including prizes for free services for the winners of the long-distance quiz, the voice-mail messaging lucky draw and online survey lucky draw.
Visit GTA at Booth Number 64 at PHARE 2005, Thursday through Saturday, April 14, 15 & 16, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For more information, please contact:
Ernie Galito, Managing Director, Sales & Marketing, Tel: 644-0100/101 or
Letitia Law-Byerly, Corporate Communications Manager, Tel: 644-0106, Fax: 644-0103, E-mail: llbyerly@gta.net
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GTA is reopening its Northern Business Office, Monday, April 18, 2005 after renovation of the structure for a new look and improved customer service.
GTA’s Northern Business Office service hours are Mondays through Fridays, 7:30 A.M. to 6:00 P.M., except for weekends and public holidays. The Northern Business Office will be staffed by Client Services Representatives who will assist GTA customers with residential phone services, including applications for new services, adjustments and bill payments.
For more information, please contact:
Ernie Galito, Managing Director, Sales & Marketing, Tel: 644-0100/101 or
Letitia Law-Byerly, Corporate Communications Manager, Tel: 644-0106, Fax: 644-0103, E-mail: llbyerly@gta.net
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GTA will provide local on-island connectivity to Department of Defense (DoD) sites on Guam as part of a newly announced partnership with Sprint. (NYSE: FON - News)
In a press release Monday, Sprint stated that it has been awarded contracts for a total of $16.6 million for minimum 10-year leases up to maximum 12-year, long-term leases by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) to provide connectivity for Department of Defense sites within Japan and between Japan and Guam. GTA will provide telecommunications transport between off-island carriers and sites on Guam.
Other partners for this contract are NTT Communications, KDDI, Japan Telecom and Tyco.
“This partnership is representative of the new GTA’s commitment to all constituents and customers on Guam,” said Rob Smith, vice president of sales and marketing – GTA. “Military communications is an important component of GTA’s overall dedication to the growth and development of Guam’s telecommunications infrastructure for residents, businesses and the government.”
For more information, contact Ernie Galito, managing director, sales and marketing at 644-0111.
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The new GTA has taken the first steps to bring wireless number portability to Guam. GTA has sent notices to all wireless carriers on Guam requesting that long term local number portability (LNP) be implemented. Local number portability allows wireless telephone users to switch carriers without the need to change any part of their telephone number. LNP is a benefit to wireless telephone users as it allows users to control their own telephone numbers, promotes fair and open telecommunications competition and ensures no interruption in services.
The following carriers have been issued requests: iT&E Overseas, Inc., GuamCell Communications, Verizon Pacifica, Wave Runner, LLC, iConnect and hafaTEL.
Carriers have until Tuesday, March 15th to respond to GTA’s request. Local number portability must be offered to customers six months after a bona fide request is made.
For more information, contact Ernie Galito, Managing Director, Sales and Marketing at (671) 644-0111.
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TAMUNING, Guam, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire/ - TeleGuam Holdings, LLC., LLC ("TeleGuam") announced the successful completion of its acquisition of the Guam Telephone Authority ("GTA"), the last government-owned local exchange company in the United States.
TeleGuam will maintain the GTA offices and headquarters in Guam, gaining approximately 350 employees. TeleGuam successfully attained the right to acquire GTA following an extensive bidding process initiated by a Government of Guam request for proposal. GTA currently provides fixed line and wireless telecommunications services to the people of Guam. It serves approximately 65,000 telephone access lines and has cellular assets, as well.
The management team, which has more than 45 years of experience in many facets of telecommunications, including local, long distance, domestic and international services, will be led by Robert Taylor.
TeleGuam is an indirect portfolio company of Shamrock Capital Growth Fund, L.P. ("SCGF"), a private equity fund with investments in media, communications and entertainment affiliated with Shamrock Holdings, Inc., the private investment company of the Roy E. Disney family. Financing was provided by a syndicate of banks led by CoBank of Greenwood Village, Colorado.
"This acquisition will allow GTA to offer new products and services formerly unavailable from the government-owned company," said Robert Taylor, chief executive officer of TeleGuam Holdings, LLC.. "New telecommunications services will drive business growth, investment and improved quality of life on Guam. With a quadruple play of wireline, wireless, broadband and digital entertainment, we expect GTA to make Guam the model for integrated telecommunications providers everywhere."
The privatization comes at an important time for Guam, with anticipated growth in military presence and the need for improvements in the quality and breadth of communications services. By expanding from local services into long distance services, data and broadband, wireless services and digital entertainment, TeleGuam expects to offer the residents of Guam a complete and affordable telecommunications product.
For more information, contact:
TeleGuam Holdings, LLC. Corporate Communications, Rob Smith, rsmith@teleguam.com, (671) 646-1427
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